Alcohol consumption is widespread throughout the world especially among college age students. Heavy episodic drinking is prevalent among this population in comparison to other age groups. As young adults transition to the college environment they have to adapt to a variety of social, physical, and academic challenges that could contribute to their drinking behaviors. Additionally, sleep behaviors can change during this time of transition leading to higher rates of sleep-related problems among this age group. In a previous study, college students reported that alcohol consumption did not benefit sleep and the motivation to drink alcohol was associated with poor sleep quality. This study examines potential links between alcohol-related behavior and sleep duration and quality in first-year college students from Brazil, Chile, and Spain.
The study’s sample consisted of 571 students from Brazil, 772 students from Chile, and 487 students from Spain who agreed to complete either an online questionnaire or face-to-face interview. Alcohol consumption was assessed using a different alcohol screening test in each country. Each test assessed overall volume of alcohol consumption and pattern of drinking. Students were also asked about their sleep quality and sleep duration. Data was analyzed using logistic regression models to examine associations between the risk of drinking problems or frequency of alcohol consumption and the quality and duration of sleep.
Results of the data analysis showed the proportion of students who consumed alcohol was 77.8% in Brazil, 69.4% in Chile, and 91.4% in Spain. Brazilian students had the lowest sleep duration (7.0 ± 1.2 h) followed by Spanish (7.2 ± 1.1 h) then Chilean (7.04± 1.2 h) students. Poor sleep quality was reported the most by students from Brazil followed by Chile then Spain. Intermediate-to-high risk of alcohol-related problems was correlated with poor sleep quality and was independent of country. The frequency of alcohol consumption was not associated with sleep quality or duration.
Takeaway: Risk of alcohol-related problems may provide predictive value in assessing sleep quality in college students.
Sirtoli, R., Balboa-Castillo, T., Fernández-Rodríguez, R., et al. The Association Between Alcohol-Related Problems and Sleep Quality and Duration Among College Students: a Multicountry Pooled Analysis. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction. 2022;1-18. doi:10.1007/s11469-022-00763-8