Sono, estresse e uso de mídias digitais em universitários brasileiros: perfis comportamentais e impactos na saúde mental e atividade física

Abstract

Sleep quality has been widely associated with physical and mental well-being, especially in academic contexts characterized by high levels of stress and constant exposure to digital technologies. This project brings together two independent yet complementary studies that investigate different dimensions of sleep health in university students. This population often experiences irregular sleep patterns, elevated stress, and excessive use of digital media, negatively impacting mental health and promoting sedentary behavior. The first study (n = 757) assessed daytime napping (sociodemographic data), perceived stress (PSS-14), sleep quality (PSQI), and daytime sleepiness (ESS) among university students through an online questionnaire (snowball sampling). Women (68% of the sample) showed a higher frequency of napping (93.5% vs. 86.8%; p = 0.007), greater use of naps for stress relief (60%; p = 0.002), and higher PSS-14 and ESS scores. K-means cluster analysis identified three profiles: “Sleep disturbances” (high latency/stress), “Short naps” (better sleep), and “More naps” (younger/sleepier). The second study (n = 2,205) examined sociodemographic data, short-video dependence (DEVIC), mental health (GHQ-12), sleep (PSQI), and physical activity (IPAQ-SF). Women (61%) exhibited higher DEVIC dependence (mood modification/control), greater anxiety/depression symptoms, and poorer sleep quality, with an average social media use of 180 minutes per day. K-means cluster analysis revealed three profiles: “Higher physical activity” (good sleep/high Metabolic Equivalents of Task), “Higher video addiction” (younger/poorer sleep/sedentary), and “Women with higher education” (poor sleep). Both studies converge in identifying women and young individuals as vulnerable groups, with napping behavior and short-video consumption organizing into adaptive versus risk profiles, highlighting the need for institutional interventions focused on sleep hygiene and the conscious use of digital media. Keywords: Sleep quality; Digital media consumption; Stress; Physical activity