Stress and sleeping disorders among international students of the University of Georgia

Abstract

Background Psycho-physiological factors play a major role in the well-being of students. Available studies have shown that students' sleep habits and stress levels are changing dramatically, especially international students are affected negatively. Increased stress level is associated with decreased cognitive functioning, which negatively affects their academic performance. The main aim of this study was to evaluate sleep disturbance and stress level among international students of the University of Georgia (UG). Methods We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 100 randomly selected foreign and local students of UG. Self-administrated questionnaire was used to evaluate students' stress level and sleeping habits. Local students of UG were selected as a control group. Results The study found high prevalence of stress (47%) and sleep deprivation (64%) among international students. The students are facing severe psychological health issues, such as: stress, depression, anxiety, sleep disorders and behavioral problems. The results of the survey also revealed that 43% of all respondents had stress and sleep disorders, stress factors were similar for both groups. The study identified two common stress and sleep disorders among international and local students: stress and sleep problems due to changing lifestyle and due to new education system. However, several stress factors such as: different language, homesickness and cultural differences also contributed to the increased stress. Conclusions Our study identified that international students of the University of Georgia face stress and sleep deprivation. Stress related to their academic performance contributed significantly to sleep disorders. Key messages More research is recommended to better examine psychological health state of international students of the University of Georgia. More interventional programs are needed to support international students’ better integration and academic performance.

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Impact of traditional Chinese Baduanjin exercise on menstrual health among international female students studying in China: a randomized controlled trial

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Influence of Covid 19 Conditions on Sleep Alterations of Georgian and Foreign Students at the University of Georgia- A Cross Sectional Study

“…Meanwhile, some studies have shown that students who have low sleep duration at night are likely to have daytime dysfunction [26 -28] which was observed among the participants of this study. There are multivariate factors that can affect the sleep quality of students such as the course of study [29], time management [30,31], academic performance [32,33] and we assumed that the impact of COVID-19 affected the sleep quality of some students. Compared to studies, most foreign students find it difficult to adapt to social life [34,35].…”