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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Sleep Sci 2018; 11(04): 290-301
DOI: 10.5935/1984-0063.20180045
REVIEW

Quality of Sleep and Depression in College Students: A Systematic Review

João Dinis
1   Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Department of Clinical Neurosciences and Mental Health - Porto - Porto - Portugal.
,
Miguel Bragança
1   Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Department of Clinical Neurosciences and Mental Health - Porto - Porto - Portugal.
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Background: Nowadays, sleep-related problems are a prevalent occurrence among university students. Poor sleep quality is one of the most studied aspects of sleep complaints, affecting from 10% to 50% of this population. Poor sleep quality consequences are many and have a profound impact in the student's psychobiological health. University students live through a period of psychological challenge and adaptation, since the transition from high school to professional life. Abrupt autonomy challenges students to deal with many choices, from their academic and social life to their intimate habits. Frequently, sleep hygiene is neglected, or they are unable to use proper coping mechanisms, resulting in disturbing consequences that could impact their lives as adults. Research has found a significant association between sleep quality and depression or depressive symptoms, but this relationship is still somewhat difficult to interpret.

Objective: The objective of this review is to appraise the current knowledge around the relationship of sleep with depression in this group of young adults. Data Source: Articles included in Medline database.

Methods: After a careful search, the articles selected aimed mainly college students. The studies had sleep quality and depression objectively assessed, focused in the relationship between both, and addressed possible influencing factors.

Results: The current literature still supports a bidirectional relationship between sleep and depression, however, the importance of sleep quality is becoming a very relevant variable.

Conclusion: Education and the application of policies regarding sleep hygiene may prevent, in some cases, the development of depression and improve the quality of sleep in other cases. Future research should clarify the relationship between sleep problems and depression in a way they could be prevented or, at least, minimalized with effective and achievable interventions.

Sleep Hygiene - Depression - Students - Universities

Funding

None of the authors had any direct or indirect funding in support of this study.




Publication History

Received: 03 June 2018

Accepted: 07 September 2018

Article published online:
16 October 2023

© 2023. Brazilian Sleep Association. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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