Sleep and Energy Metabolism Depending on Chronotype Differences

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K17534
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Community health nursing
• Research Institution: University of Tsukuba (2023); Neuropsychiatric Research Institute (2017-2022)
• Principal Investigator: Kayaba Momoko (萱場桃子) 筑波大学, 医学医療系, 特別研究員(RPD) (20759055)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 大学生 / クロノタイプ / 睡眠 / 学業 / COVID-19

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A cross-sectional, longitudinal, and physiological study was conducted to clarify the actual conditions of sleep and energy metabolism among different chronotypes in a population of university students who are biologically predisposed to be nocturnal, especially a population of nursing students, many of whom will be engaged in shift work in the future. As a result, issues such as the actual sleep habits and sleep problems of university and nursing students and the effects of nighttime chronotypes on their studies and health were clarified. In addition, I was able to obtain important findings that the restriction of social activities and the subsequent rapid adaptation to social life had a significant impact on the sleep of these students during COVID-19 pandemic.

Free Research Field

睡眠学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

大学生また看護学生の睡眠習慣や睡眠問題、クロノタイプの実態について明らかになり、学業パフォーマンスや健康の維持増進につながる有用な知見が得られた。看護学生は、将来、看護師として交替制勤務に従事する者が多い集団であり、看護学生の睡眠衛生の向上や学生の時からの規則正しい睡眠習慣の確立は、看護職の心身の健康の維持増進や医療事故の予防、離職率の低下につながると考えられ、医療安全や医療の質向上に寄与することが期待される。