Perceived Stress, Physical Activity, and Insomnia of Female Nursing University Students in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Students go through a period of significant personal and social growth during their enrollment at university. It is essential to investigate the factors that affect the health of university students. Relatively little research has been done on how they are affected by factors such as practicing physical exercise, insufficient sleep, and effective management of stress. Aim: To investigate female nursing students' levels of perceived stress, practicing physical activity, and insomnia and examine related relationships. Methods: The sample for this descriptive and correlational study included 290 consenting female nursing university students. The students completed the following questionnaires: a sociodemographic questionnaire, the perceived stress scale, the Bergen insomnia scale, and the international physical activity questionnaire. Results: There were 32.19% of inactive students, 44.13% of minimally active students, and 23.68% of sufficiently active students. Insomnia affected 42.70% of them. High levels of perceived stress were reported by the student (22.54±7.16). Students with bad family support experienced insomnia more frequently than students with very good family support (OR = 1.41; 95% CI: 1.06-2.16). Students who used their mobile phones before sleep experienced insomnia (OR = 1.67; 95% CI: 1.17-2.63). High-stress students were also more likely to have insomnia (OR = 1.74; 95% CI: 0.95-0.98). Conclusion: insomnia is more common among students who experience high levels of stress, have bad family support, or use their phones before sleep. Promoting physical activity, sleep, and reducing perceived stress among university students requires preventative and therapeutic measures supported by scientific evidence.