Chronotype and Its Relationship with Sleep Quality among Professional Students at Indian University

Abstract

Context: Chronotype varies from one individual to others and thus results in individual difference in physical performance and quality of sleep. Aims: This study’s goal was to determine the chronotype and its relationship to sleep quality in university-level professional students. Settings and Design: This was a cross-sectional survey of professional students at university level. Subjects and Methods: A total of 240 students completed the Horne and Ostberg morningness–eveningness questionnaires (MEQs) to determine their chronotype and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) to determine the quality of sleep at university students. Statistical Analysis: The data were analyzed with Spearman’s correlation test and Chi-square test. Results: A total of 240 students, 72 (30%) females and 168 (70%) males, participated in this study (age 18–28 years): 137 (57.1%) intermediate types, 75 (31.3%) morning types, and 28 (11.7%) evening types. Morning typology was more common among Indian males. In terms of MEQ typology, there was no discernible gender difference (P = 0.06 > 0.05). A noteworthy inverse relationship has been observed between the chronotype score (MEQ) and the sleep quality (PSQI) (rho = −0.15). It was noted that 10.4% of individuals had poor sleep quality. Conclusion: The majority of Indian university professionals are of the intermediate type, and it appears that Indian students, particularly males, are slightly more likely to be morning type than people from some Western societies. Evening chronotype students have poor quality of sleep.