The Influence of Sleep Practices, Chronotype, and Life-Style Variables on Sleep Quality among Students at Rusangu University, Zambia

Abstract

Universally, students develop poor sleep habits in attempts to meet various demands. The variation in sleep quality may be related to both cultural and academic variables. This study examined the influence of sleeping practices, chronotype, demographics and selected life-style variables on students’ sleep quality at Rusangu University, Zambia. A cross-section of Rusangu University students (n=212) reported about their demographics, sleep practices, chronotype, and sleep quality as measured by the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index. Most of the students (79.2%) had poor sleep. The correlation between sleep hygiene and sleep quality were negligible (r=.01 to r=.17).  Evening-types (M=1.52, SD=0.69) had significantly higher sleep disturbances than morning-types (M=1.11, SD=0.58) or neither-morning-or-evening-types (M=1.20, SD=0.56). There were no gender differences on the linear combination of sleep quality indices. Neither were there differences in sleep quality across the year of study. Sleep quality was also unrelated to sleep pattern.

Please cite this contribution as follows:

Mvula, J.S., Muchindu, Y.S., & Kijai, J. (2021). The influence of sleep practices, chronotype, and life-style variables on sleep quality among students at Rusangu University, Zambia, "forsch!" - Studentisches Online-Journal der Universität Oldenburg, 1, 124-137.

https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:101:1-2022011414123976273782