The Effect of Caffeinated Beverages on Sleep Quality in College Students

Abstract

Objectives: Poor sleep quality is considered a global health problem. Considering that caffeine intake contributes to sleep disturbances, we evaluated the relationship between sleep quality and the consumption of caffeinated beverages in college students in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
 Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted with college students aged 18 to 25 years old from both governmental and private colleges in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Sleep quality, caffeine intake, and stress exposure were assessed using three validated electronic questionnaires.
 Results: A total of 476 college students completed the questionnaire. Sleep quality was found to be poor in 80.7% of students. The prevalence of caffeine intake was as follows: none = 8%, a tolerable amount = 40.5%, and excessive = 51.5%. Of the students who reported excessive caffeine intake, 83.3% had poor sleep quality. The relationship between excessive caffeine intake and poor sleep quality was significant (p = 0.003).
 Conclusions: The majority of students had poor sleep quality, and this was correlated with excessive caffeine intake. Our results highlight the importance of raising awareness among students about the factors that may affect sleep quality.