Mental health and sleep-vigil disturbances in high school students: sleep hygiene consultation

Sleep disturbance has consequences on cognitive level as well as on the metabolic balance of youth. The improvement of literacy levels on sleep habits and rest promotes their suitability. This study aimed to evaluate the mental health levels (anxiety, depression and stress) and sleep quality of higher education students through a descriptive and correlational study, quantitative and transversal in nature, on a non-probabilistic and by convenience sample of 510 higher education students. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale were used. Among the results we underline a poor quality of sleep in most of the sample as well as a statistically significant correlation between sleep quality and mental health in the analysed aspects, noting also the statistically significant poorer quality of sleep among female students and higher levels of depression and anxiety among male students. We conclude that the Sleep Hygiene Consultations performed by the clinical office of the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, are appropriate and timely to improve the literacy levels about sleep and rest habits, and to promote its fitness in the course of academic activities, contributing to a healthy development with less risk of anxiety, depression, stress and other risk behaviours.