Integrating Self-Monitoring, Coaching, and Wearable Devices to Enhance Sleep and Reduce Alcohol Consumption in Young Adults

A comprehensive digital health program has shown promising results in helping young adults improve their sleep and lower risky alcohol consumption. Developed by researchers at Yale University, this multimodal intervention combines education, real-time self-monitoring, feedback, and personal coaching to foster healthier behaviors.

The program, titled "Call it a Night," spans two weeks and incorporates various components designed with input from young users. Participants access web-based advice on sleep health, maintain a digital diary on their phones to track habits, and wear wearable devices that estimate both alcohol intake and sleep quality. The data collected are visualized on a biometric dashboard, providing insights into how drinking habits affect sleep. A trained health coach then reviews this information with participants, offering tailored behavioral strategies and support for setting realistic health goals.

In a controlled study involving 120 young adults engaging in risky drinking, the effectiveness of the full program was tested against two control groups: one that received only web-based sleep advice and another that received sleep advice plus self-monitoring via a phone diary. Results showed that all participants reduced their alcohol consumption over three months. However, those who underwent the complete intervention experienced significantly greater improvements in sleep health and were more than three times as likely to achieve a meaningful reduction in alcohol risk level.

A unique aspect of this intervention was the use of ankle-worn devices, such as the SCRAM CAM, traditionally utilized in legal or research settings to monitor alcohol use. In this study, participants wore these devices for wellness purposes, viewing their drinking behavior to motivate change without addressing a clinical disorder. Notably, young adults in the U.S., typically aged 18 to 25, exhibit high rates of heavy drinking but rarely seek treatment—highlighting the need for scalable, engaging, and personalized approaches.

According to lead researcher Lisa Fucito, the appeal of digital tools lies in their ability to resonate with young people's health practices and preferences. She emphasizes that the coaching component, combined with wearable feedback, played a crucial role in achieving sustained behavioral change. The study underscores the potential of integrated digital interventions to make significant health impacts and suggests avenues for future research aimed at broader, more diverse populations.

Overall, this innovative approach demonstrates that technology-driven solutions can effectively promote healthier sleep patterns and reduce alcohol use among young adults, addressing a key public health challenge.