Correlates for poor sleepers in a Los Angeles high school

Abstract

Background and purpose We explored sleep patterns including morning–evening preference and their associations with other lifestyle determinants among high school students. Particpants and methods We conducted a cross-sectional survey of students grades 9–12 from a private high school in the United States. One hundred and thirty-one students completed an online survey comprising 23 original, investigator-created questions, a mood scale, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the Horne–Ostberg Morningness–Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ). Results We found that 80% of students reported a sleep deficit. As defined by the PSQI, 69% of girls and 58% of boys in this sample were poor sleepers. Eveningness was a strong predictor of poor sleep, particularly among students aged ⩽15 years (odds ratio [OR] 9.92; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.52–64.8), among whom poor sleep quality was also associated with a higher body mass index (BMI) (OR, 6.97; 95% CI, 1.01–48.2). Conclusions Our pilot study suggests that morningness–eveningness is a strong predictor of sleep quality among high school students.