Healthy sleep is vital for supporting mental and physical health and positive rehabilitation outcomes. However, previous research suggests that allied health professionals receive little in the way of education and resources on sleep. Occupational therapists are allied health professionals who play a crucial role in rehabilitation and health promotion, to facilitate improved health outcomes. They draw from health sciences and evidence-based interventions to address sleep-related activities prioritised by the client, including going to sleep, staying asleep, and health and safety through sleep participation. However, a recent US survey found that the majority of occupational therapist respondents received no sleep education in their entry-level programme or sleep-focused continuing professional development in the previous two years.

The primary aim of our research was to investigate practising occupational therapists’ level of sleep knowledge, incorporation of sleep in clinical practice, sleep education received, sleep resources used, and views on what is needed to address unmet needs in this occupational domain, to help identify unmet needs and inform future occupational therapy-focused sleep education and resource development.