This exploratory study aims to understand police views and experiences surrounding sleep knowledge, sleep strategies and barriers to optimal sleep as they impact officer work and well-being. Additionally, content and delivery preferences for online sleep health training for sleep health interventions were queried.
Semi-structured interviews of sworn police officers and supervisors from two small municipal police agencies and one small campus police agency in the southwestern USA were utilized to understand their sleep patterns, challenges and interventions.
Thematic coding revealed that officers valued sleep and were familiar with their own sleep behaviors. Moreover, they found the quality of their sleep was often impacted by factors both within and outside their control, and their perceived sleep quality impacted their job performance and safety. A consistent sleep routine, physical exercise and distraction seeking were common ways to overcome these issues. Findings also indicate mindfulness, relaxation and mental health should be included in sleep interventions for police.
Online training programs should, according to officers, be short, interactive and delivered by those with similar, validating experiences to address officers’ feelings of isolation, mental health challenges, job stressors and poor sleep.
While the health and safety risks associated with officer fatigue are well-established, a gap remains related to sleep health promotion. This study provides insight regarding suitable sleep interventions among police and how to successfully disseminate sleep health training to police.
