DONG NAI UNIVERSITY

FOREIGN LANGUAGE DEPARTMENT



RESEARCH WRITING

THE IMPACT OF SLEEPING ON MENTAL HEALTH OF STUDENTS

MAJORING IN ENGLISH LINGUISTICS AND LITERATURE BATCH 12

IN DONG NAI UNIVERSITY

Authors: Nguyễn Ngọc Anh

Nguyễn Ngọc Hoàng

Phan Khánh Vy

Class: NNA 12C

Instructor: Lê Phước Kỳ, Ph.D.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS..................................................................................................1
LIST OF TABLES.............................................................................................................2
LIST OF FIGURES...........................................................................................................3
ABSTRACT AND KEYWORDS.....................................................................................4
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION....................................................................................5
CHAPTER 2:LITERATURE REVIEW.........................................................................7
CHAPTER 3:METHODOLOGY..................................................................................10
CHAPTER 4: RESULT..................................................................................................12
CHAPTER 5: DISCUSSION, RECOMMENDATIONS, CONCLUSION................16
REFERENCES................................................................................................................14
APPENDICES..................................................................................................................16

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 LIST OF TABLES

Table 1: Sleep habits ……………………………………….…………………………...12

Table 2: Influencing factors ………………………………………………...…....…..13,14

Table 3: Improvement strategies ………………………………............……….....…….15

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 LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1: Sleep habits ……………………………………………….…………………...12

Figure 2: Influencing factors …………………………………………………….…...13,14

Figure 3: Improvement strategies ………………………………….................…...…….15

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 ABSTRACT AND KEYWORDS

Abstract

Sleep quality plays a crucial role in maintaining mental health, particularly among

university students who face academic, social, and emotional stress. This study aims to

investigate the impact of sleep quality on the mental well-being of students, focusing on

symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress. This study used quantitative method to

gather information from the participants. A total of 56 students from English Linguistics

and Literature batch 12 in Dong Nai University were surveyed using validated

questionnaires assessing their sleep patterns and mental health status. Results indicate a

significant correlation between poor sleep quality and higher levels of mental health

issues, with students experiencing insomnia or irregular sleep patterns being more prone

to anxiety and depression. These findings highlight the importance of promoting healthy

sleep habits as a preventive measure for mental health challenges in student populations.

Further research is recommended to explore interventions that can improve sleep quality

and enhance mental health outcomes.

Keywords:

Sleep quality, Mental health, Sleep patterns, Anxiety, Depression, Stress,

Insomnia, Sleep disorders, Academic performance, Sleep hygiene, Well-being,

Psychological health, Sleep deprivation, Sleep interventions.

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 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
Background

Sleep is an important part of health. It helps the body recover and affects mood

and learning ability. Students studying in Dong Nai university often face a lot of pressure

from school and social life, which leads to not getting enough sleep. When students don’t

get enough sleep, they can feel anxious, depressed, and have trouble concentrating. This

is also an issue affecting education and training in Dong Nai University because mental

health can have a strong impact on college students.

Statement of the problem

Many students do not get enough sleep and struggle to maintain good sleep habits.

This can lead to mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. While sleep is very

important, many people don’t understand the connection between sleep and mental health

in students. Thus, there is a need to investigate the prevalence, causes, and effects of

sleep quality on psychological health among Dong Nai University students to develop

effective intervention strategies and support programs that address their unique needs and

challenges.

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine how sleep affects the mental health of

DNU students. The research will look at sleep duration, sleep quality, and the importance

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of getting enough sleep for students' mental well-being. This study was guided by the

following research questions:

1. What are the most common sleep habits among students at Dong Nai

University? (On average, how many hours do they sleep each day?)

2. Which factors have the greatest influence on their sleep, and how do these

factors affect their sleep quality?

3. What strategies can students implement to improve their sleep quality or avoid

sleep deprivation?

Definition of Key Terms:

Sleep Deprivation: A condition that occurs when an individual does not get

enough sleep to meet their physical and mental health needs. It can lead to various

negative effects, including impaired cognitive function and increased risk of mental

health disorders.

Mental Health: A state of well-being in which an individual can cope with the

normal stresses of life, work productively, and contribute to their community. It

encompasses emotional, psychological, and social well-being.

Sleep Hygiene: A set of practices and habits that promote consistent,

uninterrupted, and restorative sleep. Good sleep hygiene includes maintaining a regular

sleep schedule, creating a comfortable sleep environment, and avoiding stimulants before

bedtime.

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 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
The research process

Research on the relationship between sleep quality and spiritual health in students

typically follows a systematic approach. In order to understand the relationship between

sleep quality and mental health in university students, multiple studies have been

reviewed using various academic sources. The primary search engines used for finding

relevant studies were Google and Google Scholar, employing keywords such as "sleep

quality," "mental health," "university students," "sleep disorders," and "anxiety."

Relevant articles were also drawn from online journals including the Journal of Clinical

Sleep Medicine, Sleep Health, and the Journal of American College Health. Research

tools such as the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were commonly used to assess

sleep quality, while mental health was measured using standardized tools like the

Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) or the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI).

The result of the research

Several studies have consistently found a significant correlation between poor

sleep quality and the mental health of university students. Gaultney (2010) conducted a

study revealing that approximately 27% of students were at risk of sleep disorders, with

those experiencing chronic sleep issues more likely to suffer from anxiety and

depression. This study also highlighted that students with poor sleep were less likely to

engage in healthy coping mechanisms, increasing their vulnerability to mental health

problems. Lund et al. (2010) found that students with inconsistent sleep patterns, such as

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irregular bedtimes and wake-up times, experienced more stress, anxiety, and feelings of

depression compared to those with regular sleep schedules. The study further explained

that irregular sleep disrupts the body’s natural circadian rhythm, leading to emotional

instability and increased stress levels. A study by Hershner and Chervin (2014)

emphasized that poor sleep quality not only affects mental health but also academic

performance, creating a cycle of stress for students. Students who experience academic

struggles due to insufficient sleep are more likely to experience symptoms of depression

and anxiety. This relationship suggests that poor sleep and mental health issues can be

mutually reinforcing, with one problem exacerbating the other. In addition, a study by

Galambos et al. (2011) focused on sleep deprivation and found that students who

regularly slept fewer than six hours per night were significantly more likely to report

symptoms of mental health issues such as anxiety, irritability, and depression. The

research also suggested that sleep deprivation negatively impacted cognitive function,

making it harder for students to concentrate and perform academically, further

contributing to their mental health challenges. A study by Taylor et al. (2013) showed

that students with insomnia symptoms reported higher levels of suicidal ideation

compared to those without sleep disturbances. A study by Carpi (2022) demonstrated the

participant’s characteristic and sleep status. Finucane, O’Brien & Devane (2021)

demonstrated how reading habbit and sort of books had impact on people fall asleep

process.A group of co-reseach (Keyvanfar; Amirreza; Mohseny, Maryam; Zamani, Amir;

Derisi, Mohamadmehdi; Soheili, Amirali; Seyedalhosseini, Zahrasadat; Shamekhi-Amiri;

Fatemeh, 2022) had a study which elucidated how medical intervention facilitated to fall

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asleep. The findings highlight that sleep problems can severely affect not only mood and

anxiety levels but also contribute to more severe mental health risks. Overall, the body of

research suggests that improving sleep quality could play a crucial role in reducing

anxiety, depression, and stress among university students.

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 CHAPTER 3 : METHODOLOGY
To clarify the issue was discussed,the author employed a quantitative approach by

conducting a survey with the participants to gather data for study’s results.

The Research Subject

This study’s objective is about to investigate how sleep quality affects mental

well-being of students studying in English Linguistics and Literature batch 12 in DNU.

The experimental subjects contain students coming from group A, B and C in English

Linguistics Faculty. There will be a survey of a group of students ranging from 18 to 27

years old. This research sample will consist of 56 students currently pursuing knowledge

in Dong Nai University. Individuals who do not enroll in Dong Nai University are not

listed in the reprensentative group.

Data Collection Instruments

The athour adopted survey methods in order to obtain the precise information of

student’s sleep quality.The survey will be conducted in order to investigate all four

research questions presented in the purpose statement. The researcher conducted the

survey on a platform called Google Form with 6 multiple choice questions, 3 likert scale

questions and 4 brief questions (total 13 questions included in this survey). The contents

of these questions are about how sleep quality have effects on students’ mental health,

therapies to have an optimal sleep quality,reasons why do students stay up late, how can

students deal with sleep derivation.

Data Collection Procedures

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 After the study’s participants are identified and located,the URL to the Google

Form, called the Survey of The Impact of Sleep Quality on Mental Health of students

majoring in English Linguistics and Literature batch 12 in Dong Nai University .The

URL for the purpose of having acess to the Google Form was provided for experimental

subjects through certain applications such as Facebook, Zalo, Telegram, and email

addresses. Each person filled in the form and submitted to the researcher. Every

responses had been stored in Google Form until the author received a sufficient number

of answers. All respondents were assured to be anonymous at all cost or be altered by

pseudonyms.

Data Analysis

So as to depict the data which was collected from the sample in this research,

descriptive statistics will be utilized. For each quantity, the level of frequency will be

examined. In this study, variables consist of age, gender, spritual health status, symtoms

of mental instability, and solutions to tackle with them. All of them will be displayed on

variety kinds of forms such as pie chart, bar chart and table.

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 CHAPTERS 4 : RESULTS

There were 56 people enrolling in this sample. The majority of pariticpants came

from the 20-21 year olds group, with 46 people (82.1%), following by the group aged 18-

19, with 9 people (16.1%) and there was just 1 person coming from 22-23 year olds

group, which accounted for 1.8% .

6
(10,7%)

1
(1,8%)
17
(30,4%)
Under 3 hours 3-5 hours 5-7 hours Over 7 hours

32
(57,1%)

The result from the survey illustrated that most of participants spent 5-7 hours on

sleeping, with 57.1%. In contrast to the figure for that of those sleeping under 3 hours,

which recorded at the lowest percentage (1.8%). Additionally, 30.4% was the proprotion

of people sleeping from 3 to 5 hours, which was threefold the percentage of sleeping over

7 hours group, at 10.7%. As is depicted in the first pie chart:

From the survey, it gave the information that there were 3 main factors affecting

student’s sleep quality namely using electronic devices, reading (documents, novel,

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books) and coming home late. There were 38 (67.9%) participants using electronic

devices before bedtime, of which 20 people (52.6%) suffered from insomina, there was

no effect on 15 people (39.5%) (it means that they can sleep as other normal days) and 3

people (7.9%) sleep easier.

In addition, there were 12 people (21.4%) involving in reading materials before

going to bed. 7 people (58.3%) was the number of people stay neutral after reading

materials, following by 3 people (25%) falling asleep easier and just 2 people was

recorded to contract to sleep deprivation.

There were 6 students (10.7%) believed that coming home late had effect on their

sleep quality. The reaserch showed that 3 students can not sleep due to coming home late,

there were no effect on 2 students and just 1 student (16.7%) feel drowsed than other days

when coming home late. This is evident from the table below:

Sleep quality

Factors Fall asleep

No effect Can not sleep
easier

Using electronic
38 (67,9%) 3 (7.9%) 15 (39.5%) 20 (52.6%)
devices

Reading materials

(documents, 12 (21.4%) 3 (25%) 7 (58.3%) 2 (16.7%)

novels, books, etc.)

Coming home late 6 (10.7%) 1 (16.7%) 2 (33.3%) 3 (50%)

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 Based on the survey results regarding feelings after a night without sleep, the

majority of students (75%, equivalent to 42 people) reported feeling “fatigued”. This

indicates that sleep deprivation significantly affects the mental health of most

participants. A smaller group of students (10.7%, equivalent to 6 people) felt "neutral,"

and the same percentage (10.7%, equivalent to 6 people) reported feeling "energetic."

Only 1.8% (equivalent to 1 person) stated that they felt "exhausted" and "tired

enough to sleep until the afternoon." As is demonstrated in the second pie chart:

1 (1,8%)

6 (10,7%)

Energetic Neutral
6 (10,7%)

Fatigued Exhausted

42
(75%)
Tired and will sleep until afternoon

Extracting the information from the survey, there were 3 groups of students adopt

many sort of therapies in order to improve their sleep quality while there was a group of

student who did not utilize any therapies. The percentage of people who hardly utilized

any therapies was the highest, with 21 people (37.5%) whereas the lowest figure was seen

in the group of people who using other therapies to make their sleep quality better, with 5

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people (8.9%). Moreover, the numbers of people adopting medical therapies and using

physical therapies (listening to podcasts, music) were 18 people (32.1%) and 12 people

(21.5%) respectively. As is indicated in the third pie chart:

(8.9%)
5

No therapies Listening to podcasts, music

(37.5%)
21
32.1

Supplement Other activities

21.5

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 CHAPTER 5 : DISCUSSION, RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION
Discussion

The findings of this study align with current literature of the issues, which include

the feeling of exhaustation (Carpi, 2022), the use of medical therapy to enhance sleep

quality (Keyvanfar; Amirreza; Mohseny, Maryam; Zamani, Amir; Derisi,

Mohamadmehdi; Soheili, Amirali; Seyedalhosseini, Zahrasadat; Shamekhi-Amiri;

Fatemeh,2022). Although these findings are similar to existing literature, the study was

minimally different from a prior study. While Finucane, O’Brien & Devane (2021)

depicted that students having reading habbit before bedtime had a tendency to easily fall

asleep, this research indicated that reading books could make students suffer from sleep

deprivation before going to bed. One possible explaination for the disagrement between

the prior literature and the present study is that the participants in the current study opted

the sort of books which were inapropriate for the purpose of enhancing their sleep

quality. In oder words, they read thrilling detective novels and horror-related books

which could stimulate their interest to read consecutively without sleeping or make them

have a sense of horror, which could lead them to suffering from sleep deprivation.

Recommendations

Accroding to the research, there were three main factors which extremely

influenced on student’s sleep quality namely using electronic devices, reading books

(thrilling and horror books) and coming home late. Using electronic devices accounted

for over a half participants in the study, so in order to tackle this issue participants should

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reduce their on-screen time and attend in outdoor activities like playing sport, doing

charity, etc. Morover, choosing a subtle and healing book is of more optimal way in

comparison with thrilling and horror one with a view to enhancing sleep quality. Finally,

students should be at home ealier, hanging out at night is potentially prone to crimes,

traffic accidents, etc. Therefore, it would be hassle for students if they encounter these

obstacles.

Conclusion

This study highlights the significant impact of sleep quality on the mental health

of students majoring in English Linguistics and Literature batch 12 in Dong Nai

University. Through surveying 56 participants, it was evident that poor sleep habits, such

as irregular sleep schedules, excessive screen time before bed, and engaging in unsuitable

activities, contributed to heightened levels of anxiety, stress, and depression. These

mental health issues negatively affected students' academic performance and daily lives.

To address these concerns, it is important to encourage students to adopt healthier

sleep practices. Recommendations include reducing the use of electronic devices before

bedtime, engaging in calming activities such as reading light material, and maintaining a

consistent sleep schedule. By promoting better sleep hygiene, students can improve their

mental well-being and academic success. This study emphasizes the need for ongoing

efforts to raise awareness about the importance of sleep quality and suggests that

universities offer support to help students manage their sleep more effectively.

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