Good sleep quality and quantity are essential for healthy aging and optimal cognitive function. However, half of all individuals with dementia or Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) experience ongoing disruptions to their sleep and circadian rhythms, which increase their risk of cognitive decline, institutionalization, morbidity, and mortality.

Care partners—who provide hands-on support for over 90% of community-dwelling individuals with cognitive decline—also face significant sleep challenges. Two-thirds of care partners experience recurrent sleep disturbances, with some sleeping as little as 4.4 hours per night. There is an urgent need for co-designed, scalable, and accessible sleep health solutions to support Australian families affected by MCI and dementia.

To address this need, a six-week sleep intervention—the Better Sleep for Wellbeing program—has been developed and tested for care partners of people living with dementia. Co-designed with extensive community involvement and supported by Dementia Australia, the program integrates well-established, evidence-based sleep and circadian health management strategies tailored for a community setting. Initial pilot studies have demonstrated significant improvements in insomnia and mental health outcomes.

Building on this success, I will contribute my expertise in qualitative research and digital intervention design to transform the Better Sleep for Wellbeing program into a digital format. This transformation will create a scalable and accessible intervention, providing cost-effective, ongoing sleep support to individuals with cognitive impairment and their caregivers. By actively engaging community and implementation partners, I will help enhance care through digital technology and contribute to developing a sustainable model for future sleep coaching program delivery.

Anna also works with the Sleep Health Foundation to develop an exercise intervention for individuals who experience difficulties engaging in physical activity due to high levels of fatigue.