Date of Award

6-22-2026

Document Type

DNP Project

College

College of Health & Human Services

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Department

Nursing

First Advisor

Carol Rossman

Second Advisor

Kamelia Burrell-Fowler

Abstract

Background

Adults between 18 and 64 years of age require at least seven hours of sleep per night; however, many adults do not meet this recommendation, contributing to increased risks for chronic disease, impaired functioning, mood disturbances, and reduced quality of life. Poor sleep quality has been associated with weakened immunity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, anxiety, depression, and decreased daytime performance. Obtaining adequate, good-quality sleep is essential for maintaining overall health and well-being. In faith-based communities, combining health education with spiritual support may provide a holistic approach that addresses both physical and emotional contributors to poor sleep.

Purpose

The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to evaluate the impact of a six-week faith-based sleep hygiene education series on sleep quality among adult church members at a Seventh-day Adventist congregation in Virginia.

Methods

This project utilized a quantitative quasi-experimental pre- and post-test design. Participants were recruited from a Seventh-day Adventist church congregation in Virginia through church announcements, flyers, and word-of-mouth invitations. Participants completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) before and after participation in the intervention. The intervention consisted of six weekly educational sessions lasting approximately 45–60 minutes each and focused on sleep hygiene practices, stress reduction, environmental modifications, healthy lifestyle habits, and spiritual rest. Educational sessions incorporated Seventh-day Adventist health principles, biblical reflection, group discussion, and adult learning strategies. Descriptive statistics and paired sample t-test analysis were used to evaluate changes in sleep quality following the intervention.

Results

A total of 47 participants completed the intervention, with 39 participants providing matched pre- and post-intervention data for analysis. Mean global Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores decreased from 10.74 (SD = 2.51) at baseline to 8.54 (SD = 2.68) post-intervention, indicating improved sleep quality. The mean improvement was 2.21 points, and the change was statistically significant, t(38) = 8.01, p < .001, with a large effect size. Most participants (84.6%) demonstrated improvement in sleep quality following the intervention. Participants also reported increased awareness of healthy sleep behaviors, improved bedtime routines, and appreciation for the faith-based support integrated throughout the educational sessions.

Conclusion

The findings of this project suggested that integrating evidence-based sleep hygiene education with spiritual principles in a faith-based setting may positively influence sleep quality among adults. Faith-based health promotion programs may serve as effective community-centered approaches for improving health knowledge, encouraging lifestyle modification, and supporting holistic well-being. Further research with larger and more diverse populations is recommended to strengthen generalizability and evaluate long-term outcomes.

Subject Area

Sleep; Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index; Health education; Health promotion;

Download

Files over 3MB may be slow to open. For best results, right-click and select "save as..."

Share

COinS