Exploring the quality of sleep on long-term sojourn: International graduate students in Japan

Abstract

To explore the sleep problems and sleep disturbances that different long-term sojourner groups experience, a survey was carried out on the quality of sleep of international graduate students in Kyoto, Japan, who had been on extended sojourn. The self-reported Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index questionnaire (PSQI) was completed, together with specific questions developed for the purpose of the study, by 189 international graduate students from 31 graduate schools at 12 university campuses. Sleep habits and sleep disturbances of 182 sojourners (mean age 30.4 ± 3.8 years, 96 males and 86 females) were analyzed. Using the conservative cut-off score of 6 for the PSQI global score, 23.8% of students were described as poor sleepers. A multiple logistic regression model revealed that poor sleep had a significant association with scholarships being students’ main financial source for their studies, and with self-perceived bad health. Insomnia was present in 19.8% of students, difficulty initiating sleep in 12.7%, difficulty maintaining sleep in 12.7%, and excessive daytime sleepiness in 2.2%. Among those students who indicated sleep difficulties, 83.8% did not seek professional help. These findings indicate that poor sleep and sleep disturbances are common among long-staying international graduate students in Japan, however, those with problems do not look for professional help. Disseminating sleep hygiene information among international graduate students to improve their sleep and to increase their awareness of the need to seek help is an important task. Further longitudinal studies are warranted to examine the effect of sojourn in the development of sleep disturbances.