Sleep quality, sleep quantity, and sleep timing: contrasts in Austrian and U.S. college students

The current study compared self-reported sleep in undergraduate students in Austria and the United States.

The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index responses from 292 Austrian university students (237 females) and 313 U.S. university students (189 females) were analyzed. In addition to the standard scoring procedure for the scale and the individual components of the scale, the data were also evaluated as separate sleep quality and sleep quantity factors using ANOVAs. Sleep timing (bedtime, wake-time, and midpoint) was also examined using independent t-tests.

Austrian students reported better sleep quality and quantity than the U.S. students. In addition, Austrian students had more sleep disturbances and took longer to fall asleep but slept longer and used less sleep medication than U.S. students. Austrian students also went to bed earlier and woke up later than U.S. students.

The current results indicate that sleep in undergraduate students varies across countries. A major difference between the two groups of students was the university setting with the Austrian students living in a large urban area and the U.S. students living in a rural college town, suggesting that the environment could impact student sleep and sleep choices. Finally, the current data indicate that examining sleep quality as a separate factor from sleep quantity provides additional information about sleep in college students. Better documenting sleep and sleep habits in college students across different countries can address important differences that universities and societies can use to help improve sleep and wellbeing in their students.