Exploring Sleep Patterns in 3,475 College Students: A Comparative Study of Geographical Location, Gender, and Age

Objective Sleep is a fundamental physiological process essential for maintaining overall health and optimal functioning across various cognitive, emotional, and physical domains. To cross-sectionally investigate the sleep pattern among college students according to geographical location, gender, and age. Materials and Methods A total of 3,475 valid responses, 3,366 from 4 continents (Africa - n = 1,095; America - n = 182; Asia - n = 1,562; Europe - n = 527); 2,075 from female students and 1,369 from male students ( n = 3,444), were analyzed. Sleep quality, insomnia, and daytime sleepiness were assessed using validated questionnaires (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index PSQI, Insomnia Severity Index ISI, and Epworth Sleepiness Scale ESS, respectively). Results Students from all continents had poor sleep quality, and there were inter-countries differences in sleep quality. The frequency of poor sleep quality and subclinical-to-clinical insomnia were higher among Asian (AsiS) and African students (AfS) compared with American (AmS) and European students (EuS) ( p 36 years) compared with the ≤ 20 years age group ( p 36 years ( p < 0.05) group. There were no significant differences in the frequency of various degrees of insomnia across age groups. Conclusion Our results suggest the need for tailored interventions for addressing sleep disturbances among college students of all age groups, with a specific focus on AsiS and AfS, as well as female students.