Sleep, stress, or social support?: Exploring the mechanisms that explain the relationship between student recreation center use and well-being

Abstract

Objective: The current study explores the role of health-related mechanisms (i.e. sleep, social support, and stress) in accounting for the impact of student recreation center (SRC) use on college-student well-being. Participants: Students (N = 540; Mage =23.67, SD = 7.10; 65.6% female) with membership to the SRC were recruited to complete an online survey. Method: The survey was implemented in Spring 2017 and included questions on SRC use (e.g. hours spent, facilities used), mental well-being (e.g. anxiety, depressive symptoms), physical well-being (e.g. height, weight, somatic symptoms), and the health-related mechanisms. Results: SRC frequency was associated with reduced somatic symptoms and ratings of overall health, though not mental health outcomes. Sleep was the most robust mechanism explaining the link between SRC use and physical health. Conclusion: Given the importance of sleep, educational institutions can promote student well-being by supporting SRC use and sleep quality.