Physical activity, sleep pattern and screen usage in undergraduate health-science students of Nepal – a cross-sectional study

College students’ unhealthy habits of sleep and physical activity can adversely impact their overall well-being. Excessive internet usage has been linked to conditions like problematic internet use (PIU). However, there is less evidence on these issues and its correlates in Nepal. This study aims to investigate the patterns of computer usage, sleep habits, and physical activity among undergraduate health science students in Nepal, along with the frequency of PIU.

A cross-sectional study was conducted among Nepali undergraduate health-science students. Their sleep patterns (sleep score), physical activity levels (weekly MET value), computer usage habits, and problematic internet use (PIU score) were assessed through online questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistics.

The study included 362 students (206 females), median age 21 years. A significant proportion of students exhibited inadequate sleep duration (30.45%) and experienced sleep disturbances frequently, such as early morning waking (23.48%) and racing thoughts in bed (23.38%). Most students reported minimal engagement in heavy exercise, with more than half (55.8%) classified as minimally active. Females were significantly less active than males (Chi Square 57.6, p<0.001). Screen usage were prevalent among students in smartphone and computer. PIU was observed in 56.94% students; the score was significantly associated with poor sleep quality (Spearman Rho 0.27, p<0.001), MET value (Rho −-0.237, p<0.001), daily duration of device and internet use (p<0.001). Regression analysis revealed sex (p=0.009), sleep score (p<0.001), MET value (p=0.001) and knowledge of computer technology (p=0.014) as significant predictors of PIU (R ² =0.14).

This shows that poor sleep, low physical activity, and PIU are common among the students, and are closely interrelated. These issues can have consequences for academic performance, mental health, and overall well-being, making it essential to develop interventions to encourage healthy habits among undergraduate health-science students in Nepal.

Author summary

This study addresses a demanding issue of the relation between technology use and well-being of students. By inspecting the patterns of physical activity, sleep and internet usage among undergraduate health-science students, which provides the original insights that are both timely and significant. We have shown that the majority of students’ physical activity is low, have significant sleep problems and have high digital device usage, leading to high prevalence of problematic internet use.

This result highlight the significance of encouraging a healthier lifestyle choices in the era of digital academic fields. Our main goal is to inspire readers to adopt healthy lifestyle and be aware of excessive screen use. It also encourages other researchers to explore further on the causal relation between different lifestyle parameters and screen use. Practically, by slightly adjusting the screen time and exercise, it promotes the wellbeing of students and also their academic success. Overall, this study emphasise on role of health and education, driving the research in the area of public health.