Sleep Quality, Stress, and Blood Pressure Trends in College Students

Abstract

Introduction: College students often face significant social and academic demands, leading to poor sleep quality, inadequate stress management, and fluctuations in blood pressure. These interconnected factors can influence cardiovascular health, highlighting the importance of understanding their relationships to promote overall well-being.

Objective: With a focus on their effects on cardiovascular health, this study sought to investigate the connections between college students' blood pressure patterns, stress levels, and sleep quality. Material and methods: Two hundred medical and two hundred non-medical college students, ages 18 to 21, participated in a cross-sectional study. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and an automatic sphygmomanometer were used to monitor blood pressure, stress levels, and sleep quality, respectively. Multiple regression models, correlation analysis, and descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data.

Results: Disturbed sleep significantly influenced blood pressure, with systolic (116 ± 8.4 vs. 110 ± 13.1 mmHg) and diastolic (75 ± 7.2 vs. 70.3±8.69 mmHg) readings elevated among those with poor sleep. Sleep disturbances were reported by 52.5% of medical students and 31.5% of non-medical students. Moderate stress was observed in 55.88% of male and 44.12% of female medical students, with high stress prevalent in 65.22% of females. Among non-medical students, moderate stress affected 43.27% of females and 56.73% of males. Elevated stress levels were associated with higher blood pressure. Regression study revealed that sleep quality and stress management accounted for 36% of blood pressure fluctuation (R2 = 0.36, p < 0.01).

Discussion: The results highlight how students' blood pressure is significantly impacted by sleep disturbances and high levels of stress. A significant proportion of medical students (52.5%) and non-medical students (31.5%) reported having poor sleep, associated with higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure. This supports the body of research indicating that cardiovascular functions can be disrupted by insufficient sleep.

Conclusion: This study underscores the critical interplay between blood pressure, stress, and sleep quality among college students. Targeted interventions for stress reduction and improved sleep hygiene are essential to mitigate cardiovascular risks in this population.