Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)

The Relationship Between Sleep and Psychological Well-Being in College Students

Publication Date

2023

College

Sciences and Mathematics, College of

Department

Psychological Science, Department of

BURS Faculty Advisor

Linda Jones

Presentation Type

Poster Presentation

Abstract

Psychological well-being, which constitutes having fulfilled hedonic and eudemonic happiness as well as resilience, is particularly important as students transition from high school to college and from college to the “real world.” Having a good psychological well-being helps students feel and function effectively in order to realize their full potential and achieve a feeling of purpose and sense of control (Ryff, 1995). Identification of risk behaviors will assist in the development of better programming and services for this group of young people. College students are also vulnerable as they are not sleeping sufficiently for the high demands and rigor of a college curriculum (Gilbert & Weaver, 2010). In addition to the lack of sleep, unhealthy dietary habits and lack of physical activity all contribute to a decrease in psychological well-being in college students (Kenyone & Koerner, 2007; Nambiar & Brunda, 2020; Udhayakumar & Illango, 2018). The purpose of this study is to examine college students' psychological well-being, its relationship to sleep, and the factors that impact it. Participants in this study were 30 non-freshman students living in single room residences. Participants were recruited from Introductory Psychology classes as well as word of mouth and are over 18 years old. Participants completed the Ryff Psychological Well-Being questionnaire to determine their psychological well-being as well as the Perceived Stress Scale to determine overall levels of chronic stress. Participants were given Muse sleep tracking technology to wear with time spent asleep, time spent in REM, light, and deep sleep, and deep sleep intensity collected all accumulating into an average sleep quality score. They also provided a saliva sample at the end and at the beginning of the study to determine cortisol concentration. Additionally, participants recorded their daily eating and exercise habits and stress levels.

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