Abstract
In spite of the many studies examining alcohol consumption, recent reviews have indicated that binge drinking has not been extensively studied. Furthermore, it is becoming increasingly clear that sleep is associated with many physiological functions and to drug addictions. The present study aimed to evaluate the relationship between alcohol binge drinking and insomnia in college students of health sciences. All first-year health sciences students (n=286) were evaluated in a cross-sectional study. Envelopes containing the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), the Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST), and questions capturing sociodemographic data were distributed and collected in classes. It was found that most non-drinkers were female (70.6%), although there were no sex-related differences in the number of binge drinkers (more than 5 drinks on each occasion at least once a week), allowing statistical comparison. The Mann-Whitney U test indicated that the ISI scores were significantly greater in female than male binge drinkers (P=0.014). Moderate or severe insomnia was reported by 23% of the sample, with alcohol being the most frequently associated substance. A specialized intervention was suggested by ASSIST: brief for marijuana (19.2%) and tobacco (23.3%) use, and moderate (31.5%) or intensive (1.4%) for alcohol consumers. The data highlighted the need to pay attention to the habits of college students beyond obtaining scientific information. New data suggesting the influence of genetics on insomnia may be of importance when performing additional studies on the sex differences in alcohol binge drinking.
Highlights
The National Institutes of Health defines binge drinking in adulthood as the consumption of 5 or more alcoholic drinks in about 2 h (1 drink=10 g of alcohol) [1]
Other studies by our group that have focused on medical students demonstrated that alcohol consumption does not change throughout the students’ progression in the medical program, suggesting that information about the dangers of alcohol intake is not enough, and that preventive measures should be taken when necessary [13]
The data from this study indicated that there is a significant relationship between insomnia and binge-drinking patterns, but only in females
Summary
The National Institutes of Health defines binge drinking in adulthood as the consumption of 5 or more alcoholic drinks in about 2 h (1 drink=10 g of alcohol) [1]. Alcohol binge drinking is recognized as a major contributor to the social and health burdens associated with alcohol consumption. Insomnia is the second-most prevalent mental disorder, with no efficient treatment available; recent research has suggested there may be an element of substantial heritability [3]. A causal link has been found between insomnia and coronary artery disease, depressive symptoms, and subjective wellbeing, all of which may be genetically related [4]. Research employing sleep monitoring strategies, either using actigraphy or band wrists with a specific application, has been useful for detecting anxiety and predicting mood disorder relapse [5]. It was reported that detected sleep disturbances can predict increased cravings for substances such as cocaine, even before drug relapse, which is of great interest both for treatment and public health [6].
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Schedule a callMore From: Brazilian journal of medical and biological research = Revista brasileira de pesquisas medicas e biologicas
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