The association between sleep quality and anxiety symptoms: a cross-sectional study based on Tibetan university students at high altitude in China

BackgroundThere have been more previous studies on sleep quality and anxiety symptoms among university students in plains areas. However, fewer studies have been conducted on Tibetan university students at high altitude. Analyzing the relationship between sleep quality and anxiety symptoms due to in...

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Main Authors: Mengying Shi, Ruijing Miao, Meijun Bing, Shiru Liu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-03-01
Series:Frontiers in Psychology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1505948/full
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author Mengying Shi
Ruijing Miao
Meijun Bing
Shiru Liu
author_facet Mengying Shi
Ruijing Miao
Meijun Bing
Shiru Liu
author_sort Mengying Shi
collection DOAJ
description BackgroundThere have been more previous studies on sleep quality and anxiety symptoms among university students in plains areas. However, fewer studies have been conducted on Tibetan university students at high altitude. Analyzing the relationship between sleep quality and anxiety symptoms due to increased altitude may provide a reference for mental health promotion and intervention for Tibetan university students in high altitude areas.MethodsStratified whole cluster sampling was used. The pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) scale was used to investigate the sleep quality of 4,777 university students at high altitude in China. The self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) was used to investigate anxiety symptoms. The chi-square test was used to compare the detection rates of anxiety symptoms among different groups, and logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the association between sleep quality and anxiety symptoms.ResultsThe prevalence of anxiety symptoms among Tibetan university students at high altitude in China was 25.7%. The detection rate of anxiety symptoms among girls (28.4%) was higher than that of boys (22.1%), and the difference was statistically significant (χ2 = 24.634, p < 0.001). The detection rates of anxiety symptoms among university students with sleep quality of “Good,” “Medium” and “Poor” were 1.8, 4.8 and 39.2%, respectively, and the differences were statistically significant (χ2 = 779.759, p < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis after adjusting for relevant covariates showed that the risk of anxiety symptoms was higher in the “Medium” (OR:3.479, 95%CI:1.946 ~ 6.221) and “Poor” (OR:44.817, 95%CI:29.175 ~ 68.847) groups, compared with the “Good” group. The same trend was observed in both men and women at the university level.ConclusionThere is a close relationship between sleep quality and the occurrence of anxiety symptoms among Tibetan university students at high altitude in China. Improving sleep quality may have a positive effect on reducing the occurrence of anxiety symptoms among Tibetan university students at high altitude.
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spelling doaj-art-5bb19deff6754a369a898785fc8799de2025-08-20T03:44:27ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782025-03-011610.3389/fpsyg.2025.15059481505948The association between sleep quality and anxiety symptoms: a cross-sectional study based on Tibetan university students at high altitude in ChinaMengying Shi0Ruijing Miao1Meijun Bing2Shiru Liu3School of Marxism, Xinjiang Normal University, Urumqi, ChinaInformation Management Center, Xinjiang Normal University, Urumqi, ChinaXinjiang University Library, Urumqi, ChinaDepartment of Physical Education and Research, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, ChinaBackgroundThere have been more previous studies on sleep quality and anxiety symptoms among university students in plains areas. However, fewer studies have been conducted on Tibetan university students at high altitude. Analyzing the relationship between sleep quality and anxiety symptoms due to increased altitude may provide a reference for mental health promotion and intervention for Tibetan university students in high altitude areas.MethodsStratified whole cluster sampling was used. The pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) scale was used to investigate the sleep quality of 4,777 university students at high altitude in China. The self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) was used to investigate anxiety symptoms. The chi-square test was used to compare the detection rates of anxiety symptoms among different groups, and logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the association between sleep quality and anxiety symptoms.ResultsThe prevalence of anxiety symptoms among Tibetan university students at high altitude in China was 25.7%. The detection rate of anxiety symptoms among girls (28.4%) was higher than that of boys (22.1%), and the difference was statistically significant (χ2 = 24.634, p < 0.001). The detection rates of anxiety symptoms among university students with sleep quality of “Good,” “Medium” and “Poor” were 1.8, 4.8 and 39.2%, respectively, and the differences were statistically significant (χ2 = 779.759, p < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis after adjusting for relevant covariates showed that the risk of anxiety symptoms was higher in the “Medium” (OR:3.479, 95%CI:1.946 ~ 6.221) and “Poor” (OR:44.817, 95%CI:29.175 ~ 68.847) groups, compared with the “Good” group. The same trend was observed in both men and women at the university level.ConclusionThere is a close relationship between sleep quality and the occurrence of anxiety symptoms among Tibetan university students at high altitude in China. Improving sleep quality may have a positive effect on reducing the occurrence of anxiety symptoms among Tibetan university students at high altitude.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1505948/fullhigh altitudecorrelationslifestylesleep qualitymental health
spellingShingle Mengying Shi
Ruijing Miao
Meijun Bing
Shiru Liu
The association between sleep quality and anxiety symptoms: a cross-sectional study based on Tibetan university students at high altitude in China
Frontiers in Psychology
high altitude
correlations
lifestyle
sleep quality
mental health
title The association between sleep quality and anxiety symptoms: a cross-sectional study based on Tibetan university students at high altitude in China
title_full The association between sleep quality and anxiety symptoms: a cross-sectional study based on Tibetan university students at high altitude in China
title_fullStr The association between sleep quality and anxiety symptoms: a cross-sectional study based on Tibetan university students at high altitude in China
title_full_unstemmed The association between sleep quality and anxiety symptoms: a cross-sectional study based on Tibetan university students at high altitude in China
title_short The association between sleep quality and anxiety symptoms: a cross-sectional study based on Tibetan university students at high altitude in China
title_sort association between sleep quality and anxiety symptoms a cross sectional study based on tibetan university students at high altitude in china
topic high altitude
correlations
lifestyle
sleep quality
mental health
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1505948/full
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