Circadian rhythm characteristics, poor sleep quality, daytime sleepiness and common psychiatric disorders among Thai college students

Abstract

Objective To investigate the relationship between common psychiatric disorders (CPDs) and sleep characteristics (evening chronotype, poor sleep quality and daytime sleepiness) among Thai college students. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 2,970 undergraduate students in Thailand. Students were asked to complete a self-administered questionnaire that collected information about lifestyle and demographic characteristics. The Horne and Ostberg Morningess-Eveningeness Questionnaire (MEQ), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), were used to evaluate circadian preference, sleep quality and daytime sleepiness respectively. The General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12) was used to evaluate presence of CPDs. Logistic regression models were used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) of CPDs in relation to the covariates of interest. Results A total of 337 students were classified as having CPDs (11.2%; 95% CI 10.1–12.3%). Evening chronotype (OR=3.35; 95% CI 2.09–5.37), poor sleep quality (OR=4.89; 95% CI 3.66–6.54) and daytime sleepiness (OR=1.95; 95% CI 1.54–2.47) were statistically significantly associated with CPDs. Conclusions Our study demonstrated that CPDs are common among Thai college students. Further, evening chronotype, poor sleep quality and excessive daytime sleepiness were strongly associated with increased risk of CPDs. These findings highlight the importance of educating students and school administrators about the importance of sleep and its impact on mental health.

Chronotype and sleep quality as a subphenotype in association studies of clock genes in mood disorders

“…The General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12) was used to evaluate the presence of common psychiatric disorders (CPDs). Using logistic regression models, they found a significant association between CPDs and sleep characteristics, such as evening chronotype, poor sleep quality and daytime sleepiness (Haregu et al 2015). To our knowledge, so far no one has checked whether sleep quality variables depend on the season in which the questionnaire has …”

Risk of Common Mental Disorders in Relation to Symptoms of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome among Ethiopian College Students

“…This finding is in agreement with findings reported by other investigators. For instance in a study of Thai college students, we found that in a multivariate adjusted model, the odds of CMDs was increased two-fold among students with daytime sleepiness as compared with those without the risk factor (OR=1.95; 95% CI 1.54-2.47) [7]. Similarly, Bixler and colleagues (2013) reported that excessive daytime sleepiness was strongly associated with depression than sleep-disordered breathing (e.g., due to sleep apnea) [29].…”

“…Behavioral characteristics such as excessive consumption of caffeinated products, consumption of Khat, and smoking are also shown to have an adverse effect on daytime sleepiness and mental health [6]. An accumulating body of literature documents that sleep disturbances such as sleep quality, sleep duration, excessive daytime sleepiness are associated with common mental disorders (CMDs) [7-10]. However, few studies have focused on the relation between OSAS with CMDs.…”

Morningness–Eveningness and College Advising: A Road to Student Success?

“…Some E‐types have even expressed a feeling akin to jet lag (now referred to as “social jet lag”) in the early week as they attempt to retrain earlier weekday rising following later rising on weekends (e.g., Crowley & Carskadon, ; Wittmann, Dinich, Merrow, & Roenneberg, ). Compulsions such as extreme Internet usage; aggression; and addictions to substances, gambling, and sex have also been reported (e.g., Abasiubong et al, ; Digdon & Landry, ; Lin & Gau, ; Randler & Vollmer, ; Randler et al, ; Whittier et al, ) as has an association between eveningness and psychiatric disorders (e.g., Haregu et al, ; Tavernier & Willoughby, ).…”

“…Not surprisingly, then, research on the effects of differing chronotypes on college student behavior has been conducted at numerous universities in the United States as well as many other countries, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Ethiopia, Germany, India, Japan, Korea, Lebanon, Nigeria, Norway, Peru, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, and Turkey. These studies have examined such diverse issues as general academic performance and achievement (e.g., Beşoluk, Önder, & Deveci, ; Borisenkov, Perminova, & Kosova, ; Medeiros, Mendes, Lima, & Araujo, ; Song & Stough, ), sleep habits and patterns (e.g., Azevedo et al, ; Cofer et al, ; Concepcion et al, ; Kabrita, Hajjar‐Muca, & Duffy, ; Medeiros et al, ; Park, Matsumoto, Seo, Shinkoda, & Park, ; Robinson et al, ; Tavernier & Willoughby, ; Urner et al, ; Yadav & Singh, ; Zimmermann, ), the influence of external synchronizers (e.g., Teixeira et al, ), physical performance (Vitale, Calogiuri, & Weydahl, ) and issues related to health, problem and at‐risk behaviors, and psychological disorders (e.g., Abasiubong, Abiola, & Udofia, ; Culnan, Kloss, & Grandner, ; Digdon & Howell, ; Digdon & Landry, ; Haregu et al, ; Lin & Gau, ; Randler, Horzum, & Vollmer, ; Randler & Vollmer, ; Tavernier & Willoughby, ; Whittier et al, ).…”