College Students’ Prevalence of Sleep Hygiene Awareness and Practices

Abstract

Research has consistently found that college students report short sleep length and poor sleep quality. As a result of their poor sleep quality, there is concern that college students may struggle with issues associated with academic performance, physical health, and mental health. Previous research has investigated a multitude of factors that may contribute to poor sleeping behaviors, including sleep hygiene awareness and practices. The current study found that participants were obtaining less than the recommended average hours of sleep. Results indicated an almost equal number of participants reported poor sleep quality, average sleep quality, and good sleep quality. Results also indicated that between 40-50% of the sample reported difficulties related going to bed, falling asleep, maintaining sleep, reinitiating sleep, and returning to wakefulness. Although participants in the present study reported sleep hygiene awareness, their knowledge is not associated with their sleep practices. Based on these results, it may be implied that improving or increasing sleep hygiene knowledge is not an intervention that would be effective in improving sleep hygiene practices.

Magnitude of Poor Sleep Hygiene Practice and Associated Factors among Medical Students in Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…In this study, the prevalence of poor sleep hygiene practice was 48.1% (95% 43.7, 52.1), which is in line with the study conducted in Southern Universities 40-50% [36], Brazil 51.5% [37], US 50.9% [38], and Hong Kong [14], showing that large numbers of participants did not practice sleep hygiene components like using of bed for night sleep purpose and avoidance of coffee and other stimulants during bed time. However, the result of the present study is higher than that of the study reported in Nigeria 32% [27] and Pakistan Karachi 39.5%.…”

“…Finally, having anxiety symptom was another factor associated with poor sleep hygiene practice among medical students. This finding was supported by a study conducted in southern universities [36] and Lithuanian medical students [51]. The possible explanation for this might be due to fear which makes it harder to fall asleep.…”

Sleep quality in relation to sleep hygiene knowledge and practice, chronotype and lifestyle behaviour among healthcare students

“…The differences in methodological research procedures can explain this inconsistency. Furthermore, in our research, a weak positive correlation between sleep hygiene knowledge and practices was established, which was supported by the findings of the Croatian study [5], while Felix et al [9] claimed the opposite.…”

“…Having thoroughly studied literature, we have found that sleep hygiene knowledge does not affect sleep quality [4,5], or that people with better sleep hygiene knowledge report better sleep quality [5,6], or that there is a weak, negative correlation between sleep hygiene knowledge and sleep quality [7]. However, sleep hygiene knowledge, defined by some authors as "sleeping beliefs" [8], does not have to be related to sleep quality, but the adherence to the implementation of sleep hygiene recommendations serves as a mediator between "sleeping beliefs" and sleep quality [9].…”

“…In particular, the circadian rhythm can be disrupted during the exam period, night-time learning and prolonged exposure to light associated with the excessive use of computer, which contribute to irregular sleep patterns and poor sleep quality [5]. The latest reports show that the recommendation of The National Sleep Foundation requiring 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night is respected by less than 50% of students [9], and only about 40% of students reported a good sleep quality [11].…”