DIFFERENTIALS IN LIFESTYLE-RELATED FACTORS INFLUENCING PATTERN AND QUALITY OF SLEEP OF COLLEGE-GOING MALE AND FEMALE STUDENTS IN CHANDIGARH, INDIA

Manjot Kaur, Dr. Dinesh Kumar* and Dr. Manoj Kumar

ABSTRACT

Background: Sleep disorders in the general community particularly among youths are a matter of serious public health concern. There is little research on how college students’ health and well-being are affected by their sleep quality. The purpose of the study is to investigate the pattern and quality of sleep among youth students and to identify life style related contributing factors with their gender differentials. Methodology: Present cross sectional study was conducted during February 2023 to June 2023 among 256 students aged 15-24 years studying at undergraduate and postgraduate levels in Panjab University, Chandigarh, India. A self-administered questionnaire was used for collecting socio-demographic characteristic and sleep pattern and sleep quality related information. Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) scale was used to decide quality of sleep. Results: There were 51.2% respondents including 42.2% of men and 60.2% of women who admitted to napping throughout the day. On the other hand, 39.8% of women and 57.8% of men said they never napped during the day. The average duration of sleep was 6.67 hours and 76.2% of the individuals slept for less than 7 hours of sleep during 24 hours. Late night sleep was a common feature among both males and females. Naps during day times were reported by 51.2% of the total participants. Sleep efficiency scores above 85% were achieved by the majority of subjects (70.3%). A total of 64.1% of the respondents reported a change in their sleep pattern after COVID-19, with 60.2% of males and 68.0% of females reporting a change. Among all respondents, 42.2% of men and 43.8% of women reported that following COVID-19, their levels of tension and anxiety had increased. Among all, 86.4% respondents reported use of gazettes before sleeping and 75.8%) reportedly felt irritated after a poor sleep, with more prevalence among women (83.6%) than that in men (67.9%). More male subjects were found engaged in physical exercise than female counterparts. About 74 % individuals reported to be worried about tests or exams, with more prevalence in females (86.7%) than male (61.7%). No significant variability was found in the sleep patterns of male and female participants. Conclusions and Suggestions: Findings of our study indicated that sleep quality of male and female youths do not differ significantly but sleep patterns among male and female students differ significantly in terms of some selected outcomes. However, there was significant association between substance abuse and gender and also with physical exercise and modifying other lifestyle factors which can affect sleep. Community-based health education programmes should be organized for promoting sleep hygiene practices and quality sleep habits.

Keywords: Lifestyle factors; Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI); Sleep quality; sleep pattern.