Scale used to assess sleep patterns: Pittsburgh Sleep quality index (PSQI)
Indian studies conducted to assess sleep patterns using this scale:
A study by Nayana, A. (2025) explored the relationship between nomophobia, sleep
quality, and emotional regulation among young adults. A total of 200 responses were collected
using a structured questionnaire administered through Google Forms, which included the
Nomophobia Questionnaire (NMP-Q), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the
Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS). Spearman’s rho correlation analysis showed a
significant positive relationship between nomophobia and poor sleep quality (ρ=. 158, p<. 01),
particularly in subjective sleep quality and sleep disturbances. Additionally, a significant positive
correlation was found between nomophobia and emotional dysregulation (ρ=. 321, p<. 01),
including difficulties with emotional clarity, impulse control, goal-directed behavior, and
emotion regulation strategies. However, no significant correlation was found between
nomophobia and emotional awareness. These findings suggest that higher levels of nomophobia
are linked to poorer sleep and greater emotional regulation difficulties, emphasizing the
psychological impact of excessive smartphone dependence.
Nayana, A. (2025). INFLUENCE OF NOMOPHOBIA ON SLEEP QUALITY AND EMOTIONAL
REGULATION AMONG YOUNG ADULTS.
[Link]
TATION%20Nayana%[Link]
This descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study investigated the prevalence of poor sleep
quality and its association with nomophobia among medical students at Kermanshah University
of Medical Sciences in western Iran Sadeghi et al., (2025). The study recruited 419 participants
through convenience sampling and utilized a demographic questionnaire, the Pittsburgh Sleep
Quality Index (PSQI), and the Nomophobia Questionnaire (NMP-Q) to collect data. Statistical
analyses included chi-square tests, ANOVA, Scheffé post-hoc tests, Pearson’s correlation, and
multiple logistic regression using STATA version 14. Findings revealed that more than half of the
students (53.7%) experienced poor sleep quality while 80% exhibited moderate to severe
nomophobia. Logistic regression analysis showed that checking smartphones immediately after
waking were independently associated with poor sleep quality after adjusting for confounders.
Sadeghi, N., Rezaeian, S., Janatolmakan, M., Mohammadi, M. M., Heidarian, P., & Khatony, A.
(2025). The relationship between sleep quality and nomophobia among medical students. BMC
Medical Education, 25(1). [Link]
This study by Elliason (2025) explores the relationship between FOMO as well as sleep
quality and mental health issues among the population. A mixed-methods approach was used to
study hostel-based students of 3 universities within Punjab. Data on quantitative variables were
gathered through FOMO Scale (FOMO s), the FOMO Scale (FOMO s) as well as The Pittsburgh
Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Depression Stress Scale (DASS-21). In addition, 30 students
with high FOMO scores were enrolled in semi-structured discussions. The results showed that 68
percent of the participants had poor quality sleep as well as FOMO strongly correlated in sleep
disorders (r = 0.52, p .01). A regression analysis showed that FOMO contributed to 37 percent of
variation in anxiety-related signs (b = 0.43, p .001). Qualitative research has revealed that
compulsive nighttime social media use was an important factor in disrupting sleep. Men were
more likely to mention games and group chats and females focusing on content that is related to
appearance.
Elliason, E. K. (2025). Digital detox or digital despair? Examining fear of missing out (FOMO),
sleep quality, and mental health among hostel-residing university students in Punjab, India.
ShodhVichar: Journal of Media and Mass Communication, 1(2), 20–31.
[Link]
The study by Sharma (2024) examined associations between Internet Gaming Disorder
(IGD), Fear of Missing Out (FoMO), and Sleep Quality among adolescents and emerging adults
in Delhi NCR. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 67 participants recruited via
convenience sampling on social media. The tools used were: The Internet Gaming Disorder
Scale--9-Item Short Form; Fear of Missing Out Scale; The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index
(PSQI). Data were analyzed using SPSS 22. Descriptive findings indicated moderate levels of
IGD , and sleep difficulties. Male adolescents (15–19 years) reported higher IGD and FoMO, as
well as slightly poorer sleep quality, compared to emerging adults (20–24 years) and females.
Correlation analysis revealed significant positive associations between IGD and FoMO; IGD and
sleep quality; FoMO and sleep quality. However, regression analysis indicated that neither IGD
(p = .208) nor FoMO (p = .105) significantly predicted sleep quality. The findings highlight the
need to address problematic gaming and social media use, as increased FoMO may drive
engagement in digital activities that disrupt sleep, while broader lifestyle and psychosocial
factors may also contribute to poor sleep habits.
Sharma, K. (2024). ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN INTERNET GAMING DISORDER, FEAR OF
MISSING OUT AND SLEEP QUALITY WITH RESPECT TO AGE AND GENDER. European
Chemical Bulletin, 12(si4), 17768–17783. [Link]
Rao, K. (2024), examined how nighttime social media use relates to sleep quality,
indecisiveness, and irritability in emerging adults. A total of 160 participants aged 18–36
completed an online survey. Tools included the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) for sleep,
parts of the Decisional Conflict Scale (DCS) for indecisiveness, and researcher-designed items
for irritability. Data were analyzed using ANOVAs to compare different levels of duration and
proximity of social media use before sleep. Results showed that the amount of time spent on
social media at night did not affect sleep, indecisiveness, or irritability. However, using social
media closer to bedtime was linked to higher irritability. These findings suggest that while
overall nighttime use may not strongly affect sleep or decision-making, late-night use can
increase irritability and should be managed for better well-being.
Rao, K., John, S., Trivedi, G., & Gupta, S. (2024). Exploring The Relationship Between
Nocturnal Social Media Usage, Quality of Sleep, Indecisiveness and Irritability in Emerging
Adults. International Journal of Interdisciplinary Approaches in Psychology, 2(11), 9:26–9:26.
[Link]
This study by Rahman et al., (2025) investigated the links between social media use,
social media addiction, social media fatigue, fear of missing out, and sleep quality among 611
Bangladeshi students using stratified random sampling. Data were collected with the Pittsburgh
Sleep Quality Index and validated scales, and analyzed using descriptive statistics, logistic
regression, and analysis of variance. Results showed that 67.57% of students experienced sleep
disruption, with most using social media for 0–2 hours daily and few exceeding 8 hours. Social
media addiction, social media fatigue, and fear of missing out significantly affected sleep quality:
students with low social media fatigue were 6.85 times more likely to report good sleep, while
those with low social media addiction and low fear of missing out were 2.04 and 2.22 times more
likely, respectively, to report good sleep compared to high scorers. Additionally, 47% of students
rated their health as “good,” 45% as “fair,” and 4% as “poor,” with sleep quality significantly
influencing self-reported health status.
Rahman, M., Rabby, Md. F., Kabir, Md. R., Anjum, R., Saha, O., Bhuiyan, Md. A. A., Emon, H.
H., & Hossain, Md. M. (2025). Associations between social media addiction, social media
fatigue, fear of missing out, and sleep quality among university students in Bangladesh: a
cross-sectional study. Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition, 44(1).
[Link]
The cross-sectional study examined internet use, sensation seeking, social support, coping, sleep
quality, self-esteem, and smartphone use among 167 nursing students in Jharkhand, India,
recruited through convenience sampling (Kannekanti, 2024). Tools used were: Generalized
Problematic Internet Use Scale - 2; Smartphone Application-Based Addiction Scale; Brief
Sensation Seeking Scale (BSSS); Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support;
Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25.0, with statistical
methods chosen based on normality tests. Findings revealed that problematic internet use was
significantly associated with experience-seeking, boredom susceptibility, disinhibition,
adventure/thrill-seeking, smartphone addiction, Facebook intensity, and poor sleep quality, while
poor sleep was also related to lower family support and weaker coping skills. The study
highlights the need for future research on the etiological factors of internet use, as there is no
consensus on excessive use, and underscores the importance of addressing problematic internet
use through interventions at both academic and family levels to prevent dependency and
encourage healthy internet habits.
Kannekanti, P. (2024). Psychosocial predictors of problematic internet use and quality of sleep
among nursing students. Journal of Mental Health and Behavioral Sciences.
[Link]
The objective of the study (Goswami, 2025) is to analyse social media interactions and its
impact on sleep quality and cognitive flexibility in young adults. Through Social Media Use
Scale (SMUS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and Cognitive Flexibility Questionnaire
(CFQ), data were collected from 106 participants to ascertain the effects of social media use on
sleep and cognitive flexibility. Findings of the research demonstrate that higher levels of social
media usage are directly associated with a decline in sleep quality and subsequently, less
cognitive flexibility. There is a clear need for improvement in the usage of social media to
facilitate better cognitive functioning. Strategies aimed at rehabilitating social media habits using
mental health frameworks were discussed alongside suggestive intervention for future research.
Goswami, G., Pandey, D., Pandey, M., & Shukla, J. (2025). Effects of Social Media on Cognitive
Flexibility and Patterns of Sleep Quality. International Journal of Indian Psychȯlogy, 13(2).
The study aimed to assess sleep patterns and their associations with various factors
among college students to enable timely interventions during these formative years (Kumari et
al., 2020). Conducted as a cross-sectional study in the Rishikesh municipal corporation area of
Dehradun district, Uttarakhand, India, students from different courses were surveyed using the
Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) for sleep assessment and the Perceived Stress Scale-10
for stress measurement. Results showed that 66% of respondents reported poor sleep quality,
with a mean sleep latency of 27.2 minutes (SD 20.75), median of 20 minutes, and mode of 60
minutes. Logistic regression revealed that yoga/meditation was positively associated with better
sleep quality (OR 0.47, 95% CI 0.26–0.84), while stress (OR 4.10, 95% CI 1.71–9.83) and
mobile use before bedtime (OR 1.96, 95% CI 1.02–3.75) significantly predicted poor sleep. The
study highlights the high prevalence of poor sleep among college students and recommends
promoting relaxation techniques such as yoga or meditation, conducting stress-relief workshops,
and limiting electronic device use before bedtime to improve sleep quality.
Kumari, R., Jain, K., & Nath, B. (2020). Sleep quality assessment among college students using
Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index in a municipal corporation area of Uttarakhand, India. Ceylon
Medical Journal, 65(4), 86. [Link]
This study by Sivanandh et al., (2020) conducted in the medical oncology department of
a tertiary cancer care center, assessed sleep quality among consecutive eligible cancer patients
using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), which measures sleep over the past month, with
scores ≤5 indicating good sleep and >5 indicating poor sleep. Ninety-two patients undergoing
chemotherapy participated, including 31 with early-stage cancer and 35 with Stage IV metastatic
disease. Among them, 36 reported sleeping less than 6 hours, and 30 experienced daytime
impairment due to sleepiness. Overall, 53 patients had poor PSQI scores, with a higher
prevalence in females (73.5%) compared to males (26.5%). The study found no association
between PSQI scores and cancer stage or prior treatment. It concluded that Indian cancer patients
often experience short sleep duration and poor sleep quality, particularly women, and that the
PSQI is a cost-effective tool for screening sleep problems in this population.
Pai A, Sivanandh B, Udupa K. Quality of sleep in patients with cancer: A cross-sectional
observational study. Indian J Palliat Care 2020;26:9-12.
[Link]
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Conducted in the outpatient department of an urban primary health center in Puducherry, the
study included women aged 18 years and above attending the OPD, excluding those with acute
illness, diagnosed mental illness, pregnancy, or postpartum status up to six weeks (Majumdar et
al., 2019). Using systematic random sampling, 301 participants were enrolled, and data were
collected through a semi-structured questionnaire, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI),
and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, along with height and weight measurements.
Results showed that 39.2% had poor sleep, 19.9% had abnormal anxiety, and 9.3% had abnormal
depression. Multivariate analysis identified pain, anxiety, and depression as independent
predictors of poor sleep quality.
Majumdar, A., Ramya, S., & Ramakrishnan, J. (2019). Depression, anxiety, and bodily pain
independently predict poor sleep quality among adult women attending a primary health center
of Puducherry, India. Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, 8(3), 1182.
[Link]