Associations of chronotype and undergraduate degree programme with sleep quality, academic performance, and physical activity in Spanish University students: a cross-sectional study

The aim of this study was to examine associations between chronotype (morning-, intermediate-, and evening-types), sleep quality, academic performance, and physical activity, as well as differences across undergraduate degree programmes, in Spanish university students. This cross-sectional study included 671 students enrolled in Psychology, Education, Sport Sciences, Physiotherapy, and Nursing. Sleep quality differed significantly among chronotype groups (p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.04), with evening-types reporting poorer sleep quality than morning- and intermediate-types. Sleep quality also differed across degree programmes (p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.12), with Nursing students reporting poorer sleep quality than Psychology, Education, and Sport Sciences students. Physical activity differed across degree programmes (p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.15), with Sport Sciences students reporting higher levels than Psychology, Education, and Nursing students, but not across chronotype groups. Academic performance did not differ significantly among chronotype groups or degree programmes (p > 0.05), and the association between chronotype and academic performance remained non-significant after adjustment for age, sex, degree programme, and academic year. Overall, chronotype was associated with sleep quality, particularly among evening-types, but not independently associated with academic performance in this sample.