Staff Perspective: Sleep is for the Strong - Empowering Service Members Through Shared Decision Making
Sleep isn’t just a personal health issue for service members; it’s a mission-critical factor that affects unit cohesion, operational performance, and overall force readiness. Yet for years, military culture sent a different message. Pushing through exhaustion was worn like a badge of honor, and phrases like “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” were all too common. Sleep deprivation was seen as a sign of toughness rather than a threat to mission success. Thankfully, the conversation is shifting.
As research in this area grows, it’s undeniable how deeply sleep impacts the three essential domains of service member performance: physical, cognitive, and social functioning. As such, sleep is finally being recognized as a critical component of readiness. Still, there's more work to do. Leadership and service members need stronger buy-in, and healthcare providers need practical tools to support military-connected patients facing sleep challenges.
The shared decision making model may be the missing link. Shared decision making is an evidence-based approach that helps patients feel more involved in their care by making sure they fully understand their treatment options. Instead of being told what to do, they’re invited into a conversation, one where their concerns, preferences, and goals are part of the plan. This collaborative approach between provider and patient builds trust, encourages engagement, and gives individuals more control over their path to better sleep.
Bringing shared decision making into sleep health conversations is starting to gain momentum in military settings. The Department of Defense’s clinical practice guidelines recommend it as a key strategy to help service members and providers make joint decisions about sleep treatment options. And there’s solid research behind it. Shared decision making has been shown to boost self-management and increase motivation, both of which are essential when tackling challenges like sleep deprivation and disorders like insomnia.
One easy way to bring shared decision making into sleep health education is infographics. They’re visually engaging, easy to digest, and just as effective as traditional text when it comes to retaining information. With that in mind, our team designed a series of infographics tailored for healthcare providers and military leadership. These visuals are meant to support shared decision making conversations by clearly illustrating how sleep deprivation affects readiness, using a biopsychosocial lens to connect sleep to physical, cognitive, and social performance across the Force.
Interested in using the infographics with a military-connected patient? Check them out here: https://deploymentpsych.org/content/sleep-health-handouts
See Also - Staff Perspective: Sleep Isn’t Optional, It’s Operational
The opinions in CDP Staff Perspective blogs are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Science or the Department of Defense.
Jaime Rodden is a Clinical Research Manager for the Center for Deployment Psychology (CDP). She received her Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science from Linfield University, and Master of Science in Exercise Physiology from California State University, Fullerton.
References
Kinney, A. R., Brenner, L. A., Nance, M., Mignogna, J., Cobb, A. D., Forster, J. E., ... & Bahraini, N. H. (2024). Factors influencing shared decision-making for insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea treatment among veterans with mild traumatic brain injury. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 20(5), 801-812.
Legare F, Witteman HO. Shared decision making: examining key elements and barriers to adoption into routine clinical practice. Health Aff (Millwood). 2013;32(2): 276–284.
Sleep isn’t just a personal health issue for service members; it’s a mission-critical factor that affects unit cohesion, operational performance, and overall force readiness. Yet for years, military culture sent a different message. Pushing through exhaustion was worn like a badge of honor, and phrases like “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” were all too common. Sleep deprivation was seen as a sign of toughness rather than a threat to mission success. Thankfully, the conversation is shifting.
As research in this area grows, it’s undeniable how deeply sleep impacts the three essential domains of service member performance: physical, cognitive, and social functioning. As such, sleep is finally being recognized as a critical component of readiness. Still, there's more work to do. Leadership and service members need stronger buy-in, and healthcare providers need practical tools to support military-connected patients facing sleep challenges.
The shared decision making model may be the missing link. Shared decision making is an evidence-based approach that helps patients feel more involved in their care by making sure they fully understand their treatment options. Instead of being told what to do, they’re invited into a conversation, one where their concerns, preferences, and goals are part of the plan. This collaborative approach between provider and patient builds trust, encourages engagement, and gives individuals more control over their path to better sleep.
Bringing shared decision making into sleep health conversations is starting to gain momentum in military settings. The Department of Defense’s clinical practice guidelines recommend it as a key strategy to help service members and providers make joint decisions about sleep treatment options. And there’s solid research behind it. Shared decision making has been shown to boost self-management and increase motivation, both of which are essential when tackling challenges like sleep deprivation and disorders like insomnia.
One easy way to bring shared decision making into sleep health education is infographics. They’re visually engaging, easy to digest, and just as effective as traditional text when it comes to retaining information. With that in mind, our team designed a series of infographics tailored for healthcare providers and military leadership. These visuals are meant to support shared decision making conversations by clearly illustrating how sleep deprivation affects readiness, using a biopsychosocial lens to connect sleep to physical, cognitive, and social performance across the Force.
Interested in using the infographics with a military-connected patient? Check them out here: https://deploymentpsych.org/content/sleep-health-handouts
See Also - Staff Perspective: Sleep Isn’t Optional, It’s Operational
The opinions in CDP Staff Perspective blogs are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Science or the Department of Defense.
Jaime Rodden is a Clinical Research Manager for the Center for Deployment Psychology (CDP). She received her Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science from Linfield University, and Master of Science in Exercise Physiology from California State University, Fullerton.
References
Kinney, A. R., Brenner, L. A., Nance, M., Mignogna, J., Cobb, A. D., Forster, J. E., ... & Bahraini, N. H. (2024). Factors influencing shared decision-making for insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea treatment among veterans with mild traumatic brain injury. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 20(5), 801-812.
Legare F, Witteman HO. Shared decision making: examining key elements and barriers to adoption into routine clinical practice. Health Aff (Millwood). 2013;32(2): 276–284.