The effect of exercise on academic fatigue and sleep quality among university students

Abstract

BackgroundRoutine academic events may cause fatigue and impair sleep quality. This research aimed to examine the prevalence and risk factors for academic fatigue among college students and its adverse effects on well-being and sleep. A brief exercise intervention was also evaluated.MethodsA total of 864 college students (33.5% female) filled out self-reported questionnaires with few open-ended questions. Fatigue and sleep quality were assessed using the translated version of the Smith Well-being Questionnaire and the Chinese version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Spearman correlations, logistic regression analysis, and t-tests were used to test the hypotheses. In a second study, 29 female participants took part in an exercise intervention aimed at reducing fatigue and improving sleep.ResultsAmong the effective respondents, nearly 40% reported higher academic-related fatigue, and a few reported high-quality sleep. Negative coping styles, workload, stress, and disturbed surroundings had a significant positive predictive effect on academic fatigue. In addition, adverse consequences of fatigue were found for physical health and academic-life balance, and a significant, positive relationship was observed between the degree of fatigue and PSQI score (p < 0.01). The exercise study showed some beneficial effects of the intervention for both sleep and fatigue outcomes.ConclusionFatigue is common and widely reported among Chinese college students, and it may have a major negative impact on their health. Increased awareness of daily academic fatigue and its impact on college students is important for individuals, schools, and society. Exercise may be a simple way to improve sleep and reduce fatigue.

Rope Skipping or Badminton? The Effect of Exercise on Sleep Quality and Fatigue in University Students

“…Fatigue is a state of prolonged exhaustion and impaired autonomic activity [10,52] that occurs after exposure to high workplace demands, long-term stress, or sleep disorders [1,7,18,40]. Among Chinese university students, this can also be attributed to academic workload and employment concerns [31]. Fatigue and sleep issues are often interrelated and are associated with impairments in physical and mental health, cognition, emotions, and well-being [7,13,19,20].…”

“…Previous studies have shown that exercise interventions can be bene cial for fatigue and sleep issues [3,8,17]. However, the types of exercises used in these studies were often unspeci ed or required a signi cant time investment [e.g., 3,17,31], which might not be e cient for university schedules. Thus far, a type of exercise intervention that is more suitable for Chinese university students has not been identi ed.…”

“…Fatigue and sleep problems are common among Chinese university students [29,31]. Due to heavy academic workload and concerns about high unemployment rates for recent graduates, nearly 40% of university students reported experiencing high academic fatigue, while only 34.8% of university students reported sleeping well [30,31,51].…”

“…Fatigue and sleep problems are common among Chinese university students [29,31]. Due to heavy academic workload and concerns about high unemployment rates for recent graduates, nearly 40% of university students reported experiencing high academic fatigue, while only 34.8% of university students reported sleeping well [30,31,51]. Students who perceived poor sleep quality were likely to feel dissatis ed with their academic performance [13], while fatigued students often sacri ce physical health for academic success [31].…”

“…Due to heavy academic workload and concerns about high unemployment rates for recent graduates, nearly 40% of university students reported experiencing high academic fatigue, while only 34.8% of university students reported sleeping well [30,31,51]. Students who perceived poor sleep quality were likely to feel dissatis ed with their academic performance [13], while fatigued students often sacri ce physical health for academic success [31]. As a result of poor sleep quality and fatigue, undergraduate students may also suffer from higher levels of anxiety and depression [24,39].…”