For the past 12 years, Professor Tracy Trevorrow, Ph.D.—director of the Center for Medical Psychology at Chaminade—has been surveying university students on their sleep and health habits. His latest research, in partnership with other university sleep centers, underscores the importance of campus support and engagement activities to help students thrive.
Trevorrow is a co-author on the study, which looked at causes for insomnia in college students. The research, conducted with Oregon State University and fellow collaborator Harvard University, included more than 1,000 undergraduates and found students who reported 8 to 10 hours of screen time daily had an increased likelihood of insomnia.
But the study also looked at the connection between social interactions and trouble sleeping, finding students who reported higher levels of loneliness were more likely to have trouble with insomnia—irrespective of their daily screen time amounts.
Trevorrow said the study, which included 227 participants from Chaminade, puts a spotlight on the success and leadership programs that help students remain engaged—and feel supported—as they pursue their undergraduate degrees.
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“It’s very important to appreciate how important good sleep is to health, a sense of wellbeing and to learning,” Trevorrow said. “Although this is just a single study, it appears that social connectedness among students is important for getting adequate sleep in addition to being careful about excessive screen time.”
The study was published in the Journal of American College Health, and Trevorrow expects to expand surveys to further explore students’ sense of social connectedness and daily screen time. Trevorrow added the study underscores the importance of Chaminade’s “many opportunities for students to develop friendships and social connections through clubs, sports, student government, and campus events.” He noted the University’s robust counseling program is also important—as is continuing to develop new engagement activities.
“This study highlights the importance of keeping a lifestyle balance” and prioritizing friendships and a sense of belonging, Trevorrow said.
“Feeling socially connected helps students manage the challenges of college life, and also appears to improve sleep.”
As for screen time, Trevorrow recommends keeping it to less than eight hours a day.
