Sleep Quality and Sleep Hygiene Behaviours Among University Students in Qatar

Figures & data

Table 1 Sociodemographic Characteristics of Qatar University Student Respondents (N=2062*)

Variable	n (%)
Gender**
Male	303 (14.7)
Female	1753 (85.3)
Nationality**
Qatari	1302 (63.3)
Non-Qatari	756 (36.7)
Age category**
≤ 23 years	1439 (70)
>23 years	616 (30)
Marital status**
Single	1616 (78.6)
Married	439 (21.4)
College**
College of Arts and Sciences	683 (33.3)
College of Business and Economics	397 (19.3)
College of Engineering	322 (15.7)
College of Education	221 (10.8)
College of Law	157 (7.6)
College of Sharia and Islamic studies	123 (6)
College of Health Sciences	78 (3.8)
College of Medicine	36 (1.8)
College of Pharmacy	36 (1.8)
Previous use of sleep aids (open time frame)**
Herbal	137 (6.6)
Non-prescription medicine (OTC)	370 (17.6)
Prescription medicine	84 (4.1)
None	1560 (75.7)
Use of multiple medications
Prescription and herbal	9 (11.4)
Non-prescription and herbal	50 (63.3)
Prescription and non-prescription products	20 (25.3)

Notes: *Total number of valid students who responded to the survey questions. **Missing data.

Table 2 Students’ Perceptions of Their Sleep Quality (N=2062*)

	n (%)
Duration of time required to fall asleep
	≤ 15 minutes	16–30 minutes	31-60 Minutes	> 60 minutes
	631 (35.4)	620 (34.8)	313 (17.6)	218 (12.2)
Average duration of sleep
	≥ 7 hours	≥ 6 hours up to < 7 hours	≥ 5 hours up to < 6 hours	< 5 hours
	792 (44.3)	414 (23.2)	330 (18.5)	250 (14.0)
Sleep patterns
	< once a week	Once or twice a week	≥ 3 times a week	None
Lack of sleep within 30 minutes	342 (18.7)	446 (24.4)	650 (35.6)	387 (21.2)
Early awakenings	321 (17.6)	440 (24.1)	697 (38.2)	365 (20)
Sleep efficiency**
	≥ 85%	75% to < 85%	65% to < 75%	< 65%
	1194 (70.2)	276 (16.2)	145 (8.5)	86 (5.1)
Subjective sleep quality
	Very good	Fairly good	Fairly bad	Very bad
	315 (17.3)	938 (51.5)	378 (20.7)	191 (10.5)
Causes of sleep interruption	< once a week	Once or twice a week	≥ 3 times a week	None
Bathroom use	486 (26.6)	405 (22.2)	294 (16.1)	639 (35.0)
Difficulty breathing	307 (16.9)	233 (12.8)	143 (7.9)	1134 (62.4)
Snoring or coughing	245 (13.5)	117 (6.5)	87 (4.8)	1360 (75.2)
Feeling too cold	441 (24.2)	465 (25.5)	331 (18.1)	587 (32.2)
Feeling too hot	456 (25.1)	444 (24.5)	208 (11.5)	707 (39.0)
Nightmares	614 (33.7)	329 (18.1)	143 (7.9)	735 (40.4)
Pain	433 (23.8)	287 (15.8)	190 (10.5)	908 (49.9)
Consumption of sleep aids within the past month (prescribed or “over the counter”)
	< once a week	Once or twice a week	≥ 3 times a week	None
	128 (7.0)	88 (4.8)	69 (3.8)	1532 (84.3)
Difficulty staying awake while doing different activities (eg driving, eating, participating in social activities)
	< once a week	Once or twice a week	≥ 3 times a week	None
	484 (26.6)	448 (24.6)	233 (12.8)	653 (35.9)

Notes: *Total number of valid students who responded to the survey questions. **Based on Questions 1 and 3 of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index.³⁹

Table 3 Frequency of Different Sleep Hygiene Practices Among Qatar University Students (N= 1726*)

Questions	Never n (%)	Rarely n (%)	Sometimes n (%)	Frequently n (%)	Always n (%)
1) I take daytime naps lasting 2 or more hours.	403 (23.3)	503 (29.1)	386 (22.4)	258 (14.9)	176 (10.2)
2) Going to bed at various times from day to day.	120 (7.0)	362 (21.0)	546 (31.6)	429 (24.9)	269 (15.6)
3) Getting out of bed at various times from day to day.	153 (8.9)	476 (27.7)	544 (31.7)	362 (21.1)	182 (10.6)
4) I exercise to the point of sweating within 1 hour of going to bed.	1245 (72.1)	288 (16.7)	125 (7.2)	51 (3.0)	17 (1.0)
5) I stay in bed longer than I should (after waking up) two or three times a week.	243 (14.1)	422 (24.5)	470 (27.3)	353 (20.5)	236 (13.7)
6) I use tobacco or caffeine (for example: coffee or tea) within 4hrs of going to bed or after going to bed.	695 (40.4)	320 (18.6)	360 (20.9)	199 (11.6)	147 (8.5)
7) I do something that may wake me up before bedtime (for example: play video games, use the internet, or clean).	125 (7.3)	146 (8.5)	336 (19.5)	464 (27.0)	649 (37.7)
8) I go to bed feeling stressed, angry, upset, or nervous.	272 (15.8)	463 (26.9)	572 (33.2)	282 (16.4)	132 (7.7)
9) I use my bed for things other than sleeping or marital intimacy (for example: watch television, read, eat, or study).	283 (16.5)	252 (14.7)	388 (22.6)	343 (20.0)	453 (26.4)
10) I sleep on an uncomfortable bed (for example: poor mattress or pillow, too much or not enough blankets).	1162 (67.6)	294 (17.1)	169 (9.8)	60 (3.5)	34 (2.0)
11) I sleep in an uncomfortable bedroom (for example: too bright, too stuffy, too hot, too cold, or too noisy).	1103 (64.2)	319 (18.6)	181 (10.5)	74 (4.3)	42 (2.4)
12) I do important work before bedtime (for example: pay bills, schedule, or study).	261 (15.2)	325 (18.9)	528 (30.8)	364 (21.2)	239 (13.9)
13) I think, plan, or worry when I am in bed.	140 (8.1)	280 (16.3)	520 (30.2)	365 (21.2)	415 (24.1)

Note: *Number of participants who have answered at least one of the Sleep Hygiene Index questions.

Figure 1 Difference in PSQI scores between different colleges.

Note: Bold numbers indicate significant p value.

Figure 2 Difference in PSQI scores between sociodemographic variables’ categories.

Note: Bold numbers indicate significant p value.

Figure 3 Difference in sleep hygiene scores between colleges.

Note: Bold numbers indicate significant p value.

Figure 4 Difference in sleep hygiene scores between different sociodemographic categories.

Note: Bold numbers indicate significant p value.

Table 4 Sociodemographic Variables Association with Sleep Quality and Sleep Hygiene

Variable	PSQI Global Scores^a		SHI Total Scores^b
	R	p-value*	R	p-value*
College	−0.027	0.291	−0.012	0.614
Gender	0.062	0.014	0.040	0.101
Age	0.019	0.464	−0.098	< 0.001
Marital status	−0.038	0.138	−0.137	< 0.001
Country of origin	−0.041	0.110	−0.040	0.097
Use of herbal products	0.155	< 0.001	0.021	0.383
Use of OTC products^c	0.260	< 0.001	0.153	< 0.001
Use of Prescription medicine	0.120	< 0.001	0.061	0.012

Notes: *p value was calculated using Spearman Rank test. Bold number highlight statistically significant p values.

Abbreviations: ^aPSQI, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index; ^bSHI, Sleep Hygiene Index; ^cOTC, Over the counter.

Table 5 Univariate and Multivariate Logistic Regression for the Association Between Students’ Sociodemographic Characteristics and Sleep Hygiene with Sleep Quality

Variable	Univariate Analysis^a				Multivariate Analysis^b
	B	S.E.	OR	P*	B	S.E.	OR	P**
College***	R2=1.1%				R^2=7.5%
College				0.031				0.357
Business and Economics	0.133	0.163	1.142	0.416	0.101	0.178	0.781	0.571
Education	−0.521	0.189	0.594	0.006	−0.370	0.207	0.691	0.075
Engineering	0.010	0.169	1.010	0.953	−0.031	0.187	0.969	0.869
Health sciences	−0.137	0.289	0.872	0.635	−0.156	0.308	0.855	0.613
Law	0.347	0.240	1.415	0.148	0.213	0.254	1.237	0.403
Medicine	−0.186	0.420	0.831	0.658	−0.482	0.435	0.617	0.268
Pharmacy	−0.444	0.399	0.642	0.267	−0.550	0.416	0.577	0.185
Sharia and Islamic studies	−0.311	0.236	0.733	0.188	−0.177	0.258	0.837	0.492
Gender	R2= 0.2%				0.244	0.177	1.276	0.167
Female	0.270	0.156	1.31	0.083
Age	R2= 0.1%
More than 23 years old	−0.125	0.119	0.882	0.292
Marital status	R2= 0.3%				−0.198	0.146	0.821	0.176
Married	−0.304	0.131	0.738	0.020
Nationality	R2 < 0.001%
Non-Qatari	−0.061	0.115	0.941	0.595
Sleep Hygiene	R2 = 6.7%				1.298	0.137	3.661	<0.001
SHI scores > 16	1.342	0.134	3.825	<0.001

Notes: ^aSimple analysis was conducted using binary logistic regression to assess the effects of each variable on sleep quality. ^bMultiple logistic regression conducted to assesses the effect of each variable when other variables are kept constant. *Significant if P value <0.2, **Significant if P value< 0.05, ***College of Arts and sciences used as the reference. Bold numbers highlight statistically significant p values.

Buysse DJ, Reynolds CF, Monk TH, Berman SR, Kupfer DJ. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index: a new instrument for psychiatric practice and research. Psychiatry Res. 1989;28(2):193–213. doi:10.1016/0165-1781(89)90047-4

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