Sleep quality and perceived stress among university students during the covid-19 pandemic: an analytical study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21527/2176-7114.2026.51.16690Keywords:
Mental Health, COVID-19, Subjective Stress, Sleep Quality, StudentsAbstract
This study aimed to analyze the relationship between sleep quality and perceived stress among university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. This was a cross-sectional and analytical study conducted with 163 university students. Data were collected using a Google Forms questionnaire containing socioeconomic questions, items related to academic dynamics, sleep patterns, and COVID-19 infection. The Perceived Stress Scale, 14-item version (PSS-14), was also included. Data were analyzed using the R software through descriptive and inferential statistics. Regarding sleep patterns, 112 participants (68.7%) reported changes in their sleep pattern, and 33 (20.2%) reported sleeping less than six hours per day. Self-reported sleep quality was classified as “very good” (n = 14; 8.6%), “good” (n = 84; 51.5%), “poor” (n = 55; 33.7%), and “very poor” (n = 10; 6.2%). When assessing perceived stress levels among participants, most reported that they were never able to cope with the things they had to do (57.7%), and that they sometimes dealt successfully with difficult problems in life (40.5%). When analyzing the association between variables related to sleep and perceived stress among university students during the COVID-19 pandemic, higher stress levels were associated with the absence of good sleep (p = 0.002) and poorer sleep quality (p = 0.001), as well as with sleep alterations (p = 0.001) and the degree of sleep change (p = 0.038). Furthermore, students experiencing stress sometimes or always reported changes in their sleep pattern (p < 0.05). The perceived stress experienced by participants during the COVID-19 pandemic affected sleep quality and contributed to changes in sleep patterns.
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Copyright (c) 2026 José Cláudio Garcia Lira Neto, Leonardo Grifante, Rick Anderson Freire Mangueira, Bruna Karen Cavalcante Fernandes, Ludiane Rodrigues Dias Silva, Ana Lívia Castelo Branco de Oliveira, Jardeliny Corrêa da Penha
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