Stress and Sleep Study

Non-pharmacological Interventions to Improve Stress and Sleep Among College Students

This between-subject, longitudinal pilot study in healthy college students aims to explore the acceptability and preliminary outcomes of two novel and complementary interventions that may improve stress and sleep: transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) and a mobile mindfulness intervention.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Undergraduate student (ages 18-30)
• Must own a smartphone
• Must be able to read and write English

Exclusion Criteria:

• Major medical illnesses including diagnosed severe neurological illnesses (e.g., stroke, seizure history), medical conditions associated with neurological effects (e.g. heart, kidney disease), autoimmune disorders, and severe psychiatric diseases (e.g., schizophrenia)
• Pregnancy
• History of brain surgery, tumor, intracranial metal implantation, pacemakers or other implanted devices
• History of adverse reaction to electrical nerve stimulation
• Prescribed sleep medications and/or psychotropic medications
• Illicit or prescription drug abuse within the last two months (marijuana or alcohol abuse >2 weeks out will be acceptable for inclusion)