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Lyu J, Jin S, Ji C, Yan R, Feng C, Rozelle S, Wang H. The Connection between Sleep Patterns and Mental Health: Insights from Rural Chinese Students. Healthcare (Basel) 2024; 12:1507. [PMID: 39120210 PMCID: PMC11311341 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare12151507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2024] [Revised: 06/10/2024] [Accepted: 07/25/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The association between sleep patterns and young students' mental health, which is crucial for their development, remains understudied in rural China. Therefore, the relationship between sleep patterns and mental health among primary and junior high school students in rural China was examined. METHOD A total of 1592 primary and junior high school students from rural areas of Gansu Province were surveyed, and the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS) was utilized to assess mental health, alongside self-reported data on their daily sleep patterns. RESULTS Significant sleep inadequacies were identified: 28% of students received less than 8 h of sleep on weekdays, and 19% went to bed later than recommended. On weekends, 38% of students had delayed bedtimes, though only 7.2% received less than 8 h of sleep. Notably, a "U-shaped" relationship was uncovered between sleep duration and mental health for students on weekends, with optimal mental health correlated with receiving 10-11 h of sleep, while both shorter and longer sleep durations on weekends worsened outcomes. This pattern is absent on weekdays. Additionally, adequate sleep and an earlier bedtime was linked to a 6-8% decrease in mental health risks. CONCLUSIONS These findings provide valuable insights for policymakers seeking to enhance student mental well-being in rural settings, emphasizing the importance of implementing measures that promote balanced sleep habits among young students.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayang Lyu
- China Academy for Rural Development (CARD), Department of Agricultural Economics and Management, School of Public Affairs, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Rd., Hangzhou 310058, China; (J.L.)
- Stanford Center on China’s Economy and Institutions, Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Songqing Jin
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Resource Economics, Michigan State University, 220 Trowbridge Rd., East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Chen Ji
- China Academy for Rural Development (CARD), Department of Agricultural Economics and Management, School of Public Affairs, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Rd., Hangzhou 310058, China; (J.L.)
| | - Ru Yan
- China Academy for Rural Development (CARD), Department of Agricultural Economics and Management, School of Public Affairs, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Rd., Hangzhou 310058, China; (J.L.)
- Stanford Center on China’s Economy and Institutions, Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Cindy Feng
- Stanford Center on China’s Economy and Institutions, Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Scott Rozelle
- Stanford Center on China’s Economy and Institutions, Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Tsingshan Institute for Advanced Business Studies, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Rd., Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Huan Wang
- Stanford Center on China’s Economy and Institutions, Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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