Just over one-third of college students were at risk for one sleeping disorder, and one in five were at risk for a mental disorder, a recent study found.
"Participants at risk for sleep disorders were more likely to have poor health, lower working memory capacity, and more psychological symptoms than normal sleepers," Megan Petrov of the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, and her associates reported in the July issue of the Journal of Adolescence (2014;37:587-97).
The researchers used online questionnaires to assess insomnia symptoms, sleep quality, working memory, and the physical and mental health of 1,684 undergraduate college students at the university. The students, recruited in 2010 and 2011, were primarily women (77%). In addition, most were non-Hispanic white (77%), and the mean body mass index (BMI) was 23.5 plus or minus 4.7.
The researchers found that 36% of the students screened positive for having a sleep disorder, most commonly insomnia, restless legs syndrome, and periodic limb movement disorder, and 6.3% screened positive for at least two sleeping disorders. Only 10% of the students reported having a mental disorder diagnosis, but 20% reported frequent symptoms of sadness and anxiety.
Although nightmares and obstructive sleep apnea were less common, those with nightmares or parasomnias were more likely to have mental disorders. Women had a higher risk than men for sleep disorders – especially insomnia – and were more likely to report mental health problems. Meanwhile, African American respondents had fewer mental health diagnoses but higher BMIs, and were more likely to report having poorer physical health, compared with other ethnic groups.
Overall, the researchers reported that daytime sleepiness and other difficulties in daytime functioning due to sleep disturbances were common among these college students.
"Swift and accurate diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders, particularly among vulnerable subgroups of college students, may improve academic performance, cognition and working memory, [and] physical and mental health, and reduce dropout rates," the researchers concluded.
The researchers cited several limitations of their study. Because the sample was not selected randomly, it is not possible to generalize the results beyond college students with similar characteristics.
The research did not use external funding, and the authors reported no disclosures.