Chronotype and its association with lifestyle, health-related quality of life and academic performance among Japanese nursing students: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Generally, nursing university students struggle with academic work, that consequently bring about delayed bed time, insufficient sleep and worsened daytime functioning. The purpose of the present study is to clarify chronotype and its association with lifestyle, health-related quality of life and academic performance among nursing students.Methods: Self-reported questionnaires were distributed to undergraduate nursing students at six universities. Chronotype was assessed using the morningness-eveningness questionnaire. The generalized linear mixed effect model was utilized to identify the related factors with evening type among female nursing students (n = 447).Results: About 18% of Japanese female nursing students were identified as evening type. Evening type was associated with living alone, part-time job and club activity. Sleep duration on weekdays was shorter, meal time duration was the shortest, and the percentages of students who skipped meals and those who gained body weight were higher in the evening type than in the morning type and intermediate type. Mental health-related quality of life was lower in the intermediate type and evening type than in the morning type, while there was no difference in physical health-related quality of life among chronotype groups. The percentages of the nursing students who have experienced absence, tardiness, falling asleep during class and/or interference with academic achievement were higher in the evening type than in other chronotypes.Conclusions: Education of sleep hygiene and a healthy lifestyle to prevent late sleep-wake rhythm would contribute to improve nursing students’ health-related quality of life / academic performance.