Ecologically recorded sleep patterns, stress, and lifestyle behaviors in college students prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Objective: Beginning in the spring of 2020, college students adapted to a myriad of COVID-19 pandemic-related stressors including personal and family health concerns, social isolation and future uncertainty that affect sleep behavior. We investigated how the pandemic affected ecologically recorded sleep patterns, self-reported stress and lifestyle behaviors in three semester-differentiated cohorts of college students enrolled in a psychology of sleep course. Methods: Students (N = 117) used the SleepScore biomotion sensor system to track sleep patterns and responded to behavior questions during the spring 2018, fall 2020, and spring 2022 semesters. Results: When compared to students in the spring 2018 pre-pandemic semester, students who underwent remote/hybrid learning in the fall 2020 semester displayed improved objective measures of sleep quality that were accompanied by increased deep sleep, fewer disruptions, and decreased time awake during the night, while self-reported stress ratings were unchanged. During pandemic semesters, students also reported decreased time studying, increased napping and screen use and higher ratings of bedroom comfort. Conclusions: Pandemic initiated remote learning and social restrictions may have allowed for healthier sleeping environments that likely contributed to better sleep health and stress resiliency in college students.