Sleep hygiene and sleep quality as predictors of positive and negative dimensions of mental health in college students

Abstract

College students are one of the top at-risk groups for chronic sleep loss and poor sleep quality, which can yield deleterious effects on health. The college population is also notorious for poor sleep hygiene, or modifiable behaviors that promote sufficient sleep quantity and quality. Research suggests sleep can impact both positive and negative aspects of college mental health, but few studies have examined the effects of sleep on both subjective well-being and depression within one model. Further, little research has tested sleep hygiene as a modifiable risk factor for positive and mental aspects of health. The present study tested structural equation models in which sleep quality either partially or fully mediated the effects of sleep hygiene behaviors on depression and poor subjective well-being. A partial mediation model (CFI = .98, TLI = .94, RMSEA = .08) suggested a very good-fitting model, and sleep hygiene yielded significant direct and indirect effects on both depression and subjective well-being. Findings suggest intervention efforts targeting the improvement of sleep hygiene and sleep quality among college students may yield effects on student well-being, which can improve mental health among this at-risk population.