Has the COVID-19 pandemic changed the sleep habits of nursing students?

Abstract

Objective: The Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic process that the whole world is facing has revealed the importance of a strong immune systemandsleep in fighting diseases. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of the pandemic process on the sleeping habits of nursing students.Materials and Methods: This descriptive study was conducted online with 203 volunteer undergraduate students studying at the university nursing department between 20-25 May 2021. Data were collected through the Introductory Information Form, Sleep Assessment Form. This form was composed of questions including consecutive periods such as sleep time, sleep and wake-up time, and time to fall asleep, etc. p<0.05 value was accepted for statistical significance.Results: It was determined that 75.9% of nursing students were women, 31.5% were in the third grade, 92.0% were living with their families. It was determined that the average sleep duration of students increased before the pandemic and during the pandemic period, during pre-pandemic and pandemic period and in the last month, they went to bed later in the evening, woke-up later in the morning, spent more time in bed, resting time increased, and their sleep quality decreased. During the COVID-19 pandemic and pandemic processes, female students had higher average sleep times, time to fall asleep, time to wake-up in the morning, and time spent in bed in the last month than male students.Conclusion: Pandemic process caused changes in sleeping habits of nursing students compared the pre-pandemic period; it was determined that average sleep time, time to wake-up in the morning, the time spent in bed after waking up, time to rest while lying down, and time spent with electronic devices within the scope of the lesson and outside lesson. It's important for the health of students to regulate sleep habits that are disrupted during the pandemic process.