Nature and Science of Sleep (Jan 2020)
Cross-Sectional Survey of Sleep Practices of Australian University Students
Abstract
Rachel Batten,1,* Katrina Liddiard,1,* Annette J Raynor, 1,* Cary A Brown, 2,* Mandy Stanley 1,* 1School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA, Australia; 2Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G2G4, Canada*All authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Rachel BattenSchool of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, 270 Joondalup Drive, Joondalup, WA 6027, AustraliaTel +61 8 6304 3657Email [email protected] and Aim: Sleep insufficiency is often associated with the life of a university student, yet it is well known that inadequate sleep can have a negative impact on physical and mental health and be detrimental to cognitive skills for learning. The aim of this study was to replicate a Canadian study to survey university student sleep practices, the way in which students address any sleep issues, and the students’ preferred method to receive targeted sleep information.Methods: An anonymous on-line survey was promoted to all enrolled students at one Australian University in August 2017.Results: In total, 601 students responded to the survey. One third indicated that they had insufficient sleep (less than 6.5 hrs). Almost two thirds reported a perception of not getting sufficient sleep. There was a significant association between the reported number of sleep hours, and the perception of high-quality sleep. Strategies to get to sleep included the use of social media which is counter to best practice in sleep hygiene.Conclusion: The study supports the need for education about sleep health coupled with stress management to better the demands of student life.Keywords: higher education, college, tertiary education, sleep
