The differing relationships between academic discipline, sleep hygiene, and dysfunctional sleep attitudes on sleep quality and duration in Canadian university students

This study sought to understand how university student's academic discipline relates to sleep factors including attitudes, hygiene, quality, and duration. Using a cross-sectional approach, a 30-min survey was advertised to students at two Canadian universities in March of 2022. Sleep measures included the Dysfunctional Beliefs and Attitudes Scale, the Sleep Hygiene Index, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and the Insomnia Severity Index. Academic discipline was categorized into four groups: Health, Arts, Sciences, and Engineering. Multiple linear regressions were used to investigate (1) the effect of academic discipline on sleep measures, and (2) the effect of academic discipline, dysfunctional sleep attitudes, and sleep hygiene practices on insomnia, sleep quality and duration. 1,566 students completed the survey (69.4% women; 80.3% undergraduates). Compared to Health students, Art students had worse dysfunctional sleep attitudes, hygiene, quality, and insomnia severity (