A preliminary investigation on visual arts in impacting the sleep quality among university students

Poor quality sleep has been considerably associated with physiological and psychological health complications. This preliminary study aims to examine the effects of visual art implementation on sleep quality among Malaysian undergraduates. Forty undergraduates (age = 21.15 ± 1.460 years) were recruited. Visual Art Group (VAG; n = 23) engaged in a visual art intervention programme twice weekly whereas Control Group (CG; n = 23) received no treatment over the six-week. Sleep quality was physiologically assessed via sleep tracking device and subjectively via Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Negative emotional states were measured through Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 Items (DASS-21). The attained outcomes suggested improvement of PSQI in VAG, against a declining baseline. Meanwhile, Generalized Estimating Equations analysis revealed significant effects in anxiety and stress among VAG at post-intervention. The present findings manifest that visual art intervention offers a cost-effective method of improving sleep quality and mental health among university students, providing an accessible approach in enhancing sleep behaviors.