Effect of Screen-Time on Sleep Pattern and Dietary Habits among College-Going Students in COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Background: Optimum and good quality of sleep are pertinent to the health and equilibrium of biological functions. Increased use of electronic gadgets for academics and social interactions during the COVID-19 pandemic has extended the screen time of students, affecting sleep and eating patterns. Aim & Objective: To study the association of extended screen time on sleep pattern and calorie intake among college students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Settings and Design: Observational study was conducted using ‘Google forms’ to collect data on sleep and food intake among 60 college-going students. Methods and Material: Google form composed of questions related to demographic, anthropometry, screen time, sleep quality (PSQI) & dietary pattern (food frequency questionnaire) and tied to written consent was sent via WhatsApp to college students. Statistical analysis used: Data were grouped based on the screen time >10 hrs and </=10 hrs/day. Independent “t” test, Chi-square test and Mann Whitney test were used to compare the sleep domains scores and calorie intake. Results: With an average screen time of 10.9 hrs, 38% of students were using the screen maximally during the night. Poor Sleep Quality was (PSQI Score>5) observed in 80% of the college students, with 46.6% having a sleep of <5 hrs/day. Students' calorie intake was ten times the recommended daily requirement during the stay at home but was negatively related to screen-time, though non-significant. Conclusions: The study concludes that average screen time of students of age group 18-24 years have increased during night under the lockdown. This extended viewing in night has shifted the sleep circadian cycle to morning hours, with daytime sleepiness and poor sleep quality. The high calorie intake was also observed in students during lockdown though no correlation was established with the screen time and sleep quality.

Impact of COVID‐19 pandemic on sleep of undergraduate students: A systematic literature review

“…In the Philippines, mean sleep duration reportedly decreased during the pandemic from 7.5 to 6.7 h (Capinding, 2021). In India, mean sleep time was only 5 h and decreased sleep was associated with increased screen time (Saxena et al., 2021). Moreover, in a study in the USA, sleep duration was shorter during weekdays compared to weekends (Gusman et al., 2021).…”

“…A point estimate from China reported that 37.7% of students had poor sleep quality (PSQI > 5) ( n = 1106) while a study from India reports a mean Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) score of >5 for the entire sample ( n = 60) (Saxena et al., 2021; Ye et al., 2021). When comparing sleep quality to pre‐pandemic levels, studies from the USA, Italy, and Spain reported significant worsening during the pandemic (Cellini et al., 2020; Maher et al., 2021; Marelli et al., 2021; Martínez‐Lezaun et al., 2020).…”

“…Several factors have been reported to be associated with poor sleep quality, these include COVID‐19 stressors (e.g., social stressors, financial stressors, school‐related stressors), perceiving COVID‐19 as unpreventable and incurable, increased local COVID‐19 related deaths, negative affect, increased gadget screen time, depression symptoms, physical symptoms, and being a female (Amerio et al., 2020; Atlam et al., 2021; Benham, 2020; Cellini et al., 2020; Evans et al., 2021; Ge et al., 2020; Graupensperger et al., 2021; Islam et al., 2020; Li, Bai et al., 2020; Mack et al., 2021; Marelli et al., 2021; Pavithra & Sundar, 2020; Saxena et al., 2021; Somma et al., 2020; Sultana et al., 2021; Ye et al., 2021; Zhang et al., 2020). In addition, those with greater psychological suffering, fear of COVID‐19, and in social isolation were associated with poor sleep quality as assessed by non‐PSQI tools (Modena et al., 2021; Mota et al., 2021; Sadasivan et al., 2021).…”

“…Various factors were found to be associated with sleep disturbances. These include psychological (e.g., stress, depression, anxiety, fear, discrimination, shame, internalized stigma, negative affect, lower psychological resilience), behavioural (e.g., increased digital media use, FOMO, decreased independent decision‐making), environmental (e.g., school‐related COVID stress, living in rural areas), demographic (e.g., being female, being a college student), and socio‐economic factors (e.g., social‐ and finance‐related stress, being an unemployed working student, disrupted access to mental health services) (Alyoubi et al., 2021; Amerio et al., 2020; Atlam et al., 2021; Benham, 2020; Cellini et al., 2020; Duong, 2021; Escobar et al., 2020; Evans et al., 2021; Ge et al., 2020; Giner‐Murillo et al., 2021; Graupensperger et al., 2021; Hayran & Anik, 2021; Islam et al., 2020; Li, Zheng et al., 2020; Mack et al., 2021; Modena et al., 2021; Mota et al., 2021; Pavithra & Sundar, 2020; Sadasivan et al., 2021; Saxena et al., 2021; Seven et al., 2021; Somma et al., 2020; Sultana et al., 2021; Tahara et al., 2021; Totskiy et al., 2021; Ye et al., 2021; Yu et al., 2021; Zhang et al., 2020; Zhou et al., 2020).…”

“…A separate study has also found that sleep quality declines when undergraduates have fewer social interactions (Galambos et al., 2013; Gusman et al., 2021). Therefore, the imposition of social distancing measures, alongside prolonged blue light exposure from gadgets, and stress from inequitable access to online learning tools have the potential to negatively impact sleep (Becker & Gregory, 2020; Gusman et al., 2021; Moderie et al., 2017; Saxena et al., 2021). Contrastingly, it must also be recognized that distance learning has provided more flexibility for undergraduates: reductions in morning routine activities (e.g., eating breakfast, taking a shower, travelling to school) and reductions in late‐night engagements that can render more time for sleep and potentially improve sleep quality (Benham, 2020; Gusman et al., 2021).…”