Aim The aim of this study was to describe sleep habits and
sleep problems in a population of undergraduates in Palestine. Association
between self-reported sleep quality and self-reported academic achievement was
also investigated.
Methods Sleep habits and problems were investigated using a convenience sample
of students from An-Najah National University, Palestine. The study was carried
out during spring semester, 2009. A self-administered questionnaire developed
based on The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV criteria
and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index was used.
Results 400 students with a mean age of 20.2 ± 1.3 were studied. Reported mean
duration of night sleep in the study sample was 6.4 ± 1.1 hours. The majority
(58.3%) of students went to bed before midnight and 18% of the total sample
woke up before 6 am. Sleep latency of more than one hour was present in 19.3%
of the students. Two thirds (64.8%) of the students reported having at least
one nocturnal awakening per night. Nightmares were the most common parasomnia
reported by students. Daytime naps were common and reported in 74.5% of the
study sample. Sleep quality was reported as "poor" in only 9.8% and
was significantly associated with sleep latency, frequency of nocturnal
awakenings, time of going to bed, nightmares but not with academic achievement.
Conclusion Sleep habits among
Palestinian undergraduates were comparable to those reported in European
studies. Sleep problems were common and there was no significant association
between sleep quality and academic achievement.
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