Stress and sleep patterns of college students

The present study investigated the relationship between stress and sleep. A self-report measure a as used to assess three domains: environmental event s, personality mediators, and emotional responses. It was hypothesized thai one or more of the domains would predict seven different aspects of sleep. 227 college students completed the Derogatis Stress Profile and the Sleep Questionnaire. Analysis indicated that scores on emotional response were th e best predictor of five different sleep aspects: depth of sleep, difficult ies in waking up, quality and latency of sleep, negative affect in dreams, and sleep irregularity. Presence of environmental events was the best predi ctor for the length of sleep only. Ir was concluded that research looking a t the effects of stress on sleep must consider all three components of stre ss and that perhaps the emotional response to stress is the best predictor of sleep complaints.