Sleep quality among Italian university students: the UnSleep multicenter study

Background. Scientific evidence demonstrates that poor sleep quality can lead to various health problems. This study aimed to investigate sleep patterns among Italian university students and identify several factors that may contribute to its quality. Study design. Cross-sectional study. Methods. An electronic questionnaire regarding sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle, and sleep-related habits, including the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire, was distributed between January 2022 and July 2023 among students belonging to 12 universities located in Northern, Central, and Southern Italy. Results. On a total of 1, 674 questionnaires collected, the participants (mean age 24.06±4.56 years, 71.3% F) reported an average number of hours of nocturnal sleep equal to 6.89±1.28 hours. A total of 927 (54.6%) of respondents showed a poor sleep quality (PSQI >5). Regression analysis showed that better sleep quality is associated with lower age, attending universities in Northern Italy, less time spent on electronic devices during the day, not being used to study at night and not playing videogames before sleep. Conclusion. From a public health perspective, our findings suggest that public health operators should raise the awareness of young adults about the importance of sleep quality for maintaining good health, as well as the impact that certain behaviors can have on sleep.