Sleep quality in relation to sleep hygiene knowledge and practice, chronotype and lifestyle behaviour among healthcare students

Introduction. The purpose of this study was to evaluate sleep quality among healthcare science students and to assess its association with sleep hygiene knowledge and practices, circadian typology and lifestyle factors. Material and Methods. The research was conducted as a cross-sectional questionnaire-based internet study on a sample of 268 students. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and The Self-Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire were applied as research instruments to assess sleep quality and chronotypes respectively, while evaluation of the other variables was conducted using he Sleep Hygiene Knowledge Questionnaire, socio-demographic questionnaire and the questionnaire of lifestyle factors. Results. The average of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index global score for all students was 6.9 ? 3.2. The poor sleep quality (The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index > 5) was reported in 62.7% of students. Sleep efficiency less than 85% was found in 43.0% of students, and 78% of students reported daytime dysfunctionality. Sleep quality was significantly worse among female students; coffee, alcohol and energy drink consumers and long-term cell phone users. Only 11.9% of students were classified as the morning chronotype and they had the best quality of sleep and the best sleep hygiene knowledge and practices, whereas the evening chronotype had the worst quality of sleep. A significant negative correlation was identified between sleep hygiene knowledge (r = - 0.133) and practice (r = 0.501) and sleep quality whereby the lower t he Sleep Hygiene Knowledge Questionnaire and Sleep Hygiene Practice Scale scores follow a higher the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index score. Conclusion. Majority of students had a suboptimal level of overall sleep quality, satisfactory knowledge of sleep hygiene, but they did not have the sleep hygiene practices which suggests that knowledge is not a factor of deterring from unhealthy behaviors.