Circadian rhythm characteristics, poor sleep quality, daytime sleepiness and common psychiatric disorders among Thai college students.

INTRODUCTION: To investigate the relationship between common psychiatric disorders (CPDs) and sleep characteristics (evening chronotype, poor sleep quality and daytime sleepiness) among Thai college students.

METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 2,970 undergraduate students in Thailand. Students were asked to complete a self-administered questionnaire that collected information about lifestyle and demographic characteristics. The Horne and Ostberg Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) were used to evaluate circadian preference, sleep quality and daytime sleepiness, respectively. The General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12) was used to evaluate presence of CPDs. Logistic regression models were used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) of CPDs in relation to the covariates of interest.

RESULTS: A total of 337 students were classified as having CPDs (11.2%; 95% CI 10.1-12.3%). Evening chronotype (OR = 3.35; 95% CI 2.09-5.37), poor sleep quality (OR = 4.89; 95% CI 3.66-6.54) and excessive daytime sleepiness (OR = 1.95; 95% CI 1.54-2.47) were statistically significantly associated with CPDs.

DISCUSSION: Our study demonstrated that CPDs are common among Thai college students. Further, evening chronotype, poor sleep quality and excessive daytime sleepiness were strongly associated with increased risk of CPDs. These findings highlight the importance of educating students and school administrators about the importance of sleep and their impact on mental health.