Exploring Sleep Patterns in 3,475 College Students: A Comparative Study of Geographical Location, Gender, and Age

Area of Science:

• Sleep science
• Public health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Sleep is vital for overall health and cognitive, emotional, and physical well-being.
• College students represent a demographic susceptible to sleep disturbances.
• Understanding variations in sleep patterns is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate sleep patterns across geographical locations, genders, and age groups in college students.
• To identify prevalence of poor sleep quality, insomnia, and daytime sleepiness.
• To inform the development of region- and demographic-specific sleep health strategies.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study analyzing 3,475 valid responses from college students across four continents.
• Utilized validated questionnaires: Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS).
• Data stratified by continent, gender, and age for comparative analysis.

Main Results:

• Poor sleep quality was prevalent across all continents, with higher rates in Asian (AsiS) and African (AfS) students compared to American (AmS) and European (EuS) students.
• Females reported significantly higher insomnia severity, poor sleep quality, and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) than males.
• Older students (26-35+ years) experienced more insufficient sleep duration, while younger students (≤25 years) reported higher rates of EDS.

Conclusions:

• Significant variations in sleep disturbances exist among college students based on geography, gender, and age.
• Tailored interventions are necessary to address sleep issues, prioritizing AsiS, AfS, and female students.
• Further research into the specific factors contributing to these disparities is warranted.