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Sleep length, working hours and socio-demographic variables are associated with time attending evening classes among working college students

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Abstract

It is the aim of the present study to assess factors associated with time spent in class among working college students. Eighty-two working students from 21 to 26 years old participated in this study. They were enrolled in an evening course of the University of São Paulo, Brazil. Participants answered a questionnaire on living and working conditions. During seven consecutive days, they wore an actigraph, filled out daily activity diaries (including time spent in classes) and the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale every three hours from waking until bedtime. Linear regression analyses were performed in order to assess the variables associated with time spent in classes. The results showed that gender, sleep length, excessive sleepiness, alcoholic beverage consumption (during workdays) and working hours were associated factors with time spent in class. Thus, those who spent less time in class were males, slept longer hours, reported excessive sleepiness on Saturdays, worked longer hours, and reported alcohol consumption. The combined effects of long work hours (>40 h/week) and reduced sleep length may affect lifestyles and academic performance. Future studies should aim to look at adverse health effects induced by reduced sleep duration, even among working students who spent more time attending evening classes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

    Roberta Nagai-Manelli, Claudia Roberta de Castro Moreno, Andréa Aparecida da Luz, Marina Hurga Mussi, Adriana Balian Conceição & Frida Marina Fischer

  2. National School of Public Health, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Liliane Reis Teixeira

  3. Stress Research Institute, Stockholm University, SE-106 91, Stockholm, Sweden

    Roberta Nagai-Manelli & Arne Lowden

Authors
  1. Roberta Nagai-Manelli
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  2. Arne Lowden
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  3. Claudia Roberta de Castro Moreno
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  4. Liliane Reis Teixeira
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  5. Andréa Aparecida da Luz
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  6. Marina Hurga Mussi
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  7. Adriana Balian Conceição
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  8. Frida Marina Fischer
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Roberta Nagai-Manelli.

Additional information

Frida Marina Fischer supervised Roberta Nagai-Manelli in her doctoral program conducted at the School of Public Health, Dept Environmental Health, University of São Paulo, Brazil

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Nagai-Manelli, R., Lowden, A., de Castro Moreno, C.R. et al. Sleep length, working hours and socio-demographic variables are associated with time attending evening classes among working college students. Sleep Biol. Rhythms 10, 53–60 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1479-8425.2011.00519.x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1479-8425.2011.00519.x

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