Frontiers in Psychiatry (May 2022)

Chronotypes, Sleep and Mental Distress Among Chinese College Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

  • Jiajia Wang,
  • Shuai Liu,
  • Junlong Guo,
  • Rong Xiao,
  • Jia Yu,
  • Xian Luo,
  • Yan Xu,
  • Yuhan Zhao,
  • Yingru Cui,
  • Yue Gu,
  • Lidan Cai,
  • Bin Zhang

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.883484
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 13

Abstract

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ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the chronotypes and their relationship with sleep disturbances and mental distress among college students.MethodsStudents from a university in Guangzhou, China, were recruited through a cross-sectional online survey. Data were collected by self-reported questionnaires including socio-demographics, lifestyles and health conditions, sleep patterns on weekdays and weekends, as well as the reduced Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (rMEQ), the Insomnia Severity Index, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory-13, and the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale. Multivariate analyses were performed to examine the associations of chronotypes with sleep compensation, sleep disturbances, and mental distress.ResultsA total of 1,607 questionnaires were received, among which 1,569 (97.6%) were valid for further analysis. Among these participants [mean age 19.86 ± 1.16 (15–27) years], morning types (M-types), intermediate types (I-types), and evening types (E-types) accounted for 14.9, 71.5, and 13.6%, respectively. The regression analysis revealed that E-types were positively associated with long sleep compensation on weekends (adjusted OR 2.443, 95%CI 1.740-3.429) compared with I-types, while M-types were the opposite (adjusted OR 0.623, 95%CI 0.392–0.990). E-types were also positively correlated with insomnia symptoms (adjusted OR 2.000, 95%CI 1.428–2.801), depressive symptoms (adjusted OR 2.068, 95%CI 1.496–2.858), and anxiety symptoms (adjusted OR 2.188, 95%CI 1.387–3.451). However, no significant association was found between chronotypes and excessive daytime sleepiness.ConclusionOur study found that E-types were associated with long sleep compensation on weekends and insomnia, depression, and anxiety symptoms. Our findings emphasized the importance of early recognition and intervention of E-types and their accompanied sleep problems and mental distress.

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