Daytime sleepiness, circadian preference, caffeine consumption and use of other stimulants among Thai college students

Abstract

We conducted this study to evaluate the prevalence of daytime sleepiness and evening chronotype, and to assess the extent to which both are associated with the use of caffeinated stimulants among 3,000 Thai college students. Demographic and behavioral characteristics were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. The Epworth Sleepiness Scale and the Horne and Ostberg Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire were used to evaluate prevalence of daytime sleepiness and circadian preference. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to evaluate the association between sleep disorders and consumption of caffeinated beverages. Overall, the prevalence of daytime sleepiness was 27.9 % (95% CI: 26.2–29.5%) while the prevalence of evening chronotype was 13% (95% CI: 11.8–14.2%). Students who use energy drinks were more likely to be evening types. For instance, the use of M100/M150 energy drinks was associated with a more than 3-fold increased odds of evening chronotype (OR 3.50; 95% CI 1.90–6.44), while Red Bull users were more than twice as likely to have evening chronotype (OR 2.39; 95% CI 1.02–5.58). Additionally, those who consumed any energy drinks were more likely to be daytime sleepers. For example, Red Bull (OR 1.72; 95% CI 1.08–2.75) or M100/M150 (OR 1.52; 95% CI 1.10–2.11) consumption was associated with increased odds of daytime sleepiness. Our findings emphasize the importance of implementing educational and prevention programs targeted toward improving sleep hygiene and reducing the consumption of energy drinks among young adults

Chronotype: Implications for Epidemiologic Studies on Chrono-Nutrition and Cardiometabolic Health

“…Later bed- and rise times have been found to be associated with increased likelihood of caffeinated drink and fast-food consumption and a lower likelihood of dairy product consumption in a small-scale cross-sectional survey of adolescents (83). Several other studies have reported cross-sectional associations between an evening chronotype and higher consumption of stimulants such as caffeine, energy drinks, sugar-sweetened beverages, and alcohol in adolescents (24) and in college or university students (49, 78, 79, 84). In another study involving students and professionals, individuals with an evening chronotype were found to consume more alcohol, coffee, and cola, whereas morning types consumed more tea (86).…”

Diurnal Preference and Grey Matter Volume in a Large Population of Older Adults: Data from the UK Biobank

“…sensation-seeking [43][44][45], reduced harm-avoidance and persistence [44], greater general risk-taking across a number of domains including financial, ethical and recreational decision-making [46,47], substance use [48,49] increased coffee and stimulant use [50] and smoking [51]. More recently, Hwang et al [52], observed an association between eveningness and greater impulsivity in a large sample (N = 1000) of community-dwelling adults (age range 20-77 years) thereby suggesting that the association between circadian typology and impulsivity is not restricted to youth and young adulthood.…”

Car Crashes and Central Disorders of Hypersomnolence: A French Study

“…We also reported in the current study that the risk of car accidents increased significantly in subjects using frequently energy drinks. Although being potentially a counter-intuitive result, recent studies also reported that subjects who consumed energy drinks were more likely to be daytime sleepers [ 23 ].…”