Insomnia among vocational college students in China: Status and influencing factors

Abstract

Background: Sleep-related problems, particularly insomnia and sleep disturbances, have become increasingly prevalent. However, few studies have specifically explored these issues among vocational college students.
Aim: To investigate the prevalence and influencing factors of insomnia and its relationship with sleep disturbances in Chinese vocational college students.
Setting: Two vocational colleges in Ganzhou, Jiangxi Province, China.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in April 2025 using cluster sampling. A total of 1,993 students completed the Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS), the Espie Sleep Disturbance Questionnaire (SDQ) and a self-designed questionnaire.
Results: In all, 48.02% of students reported insomnia symptoms in the past month. Higher insomnia severity was significantly associated with three SDQ dimensions: sleep restlessness/agitation (t = 7.466, p < 0.001), mental overactivity (t = 9.670, p < 0.001) and preoccupation with insomnia consequences (t = 9.509, p < 0.001). Other significant factors included being female (t = −3.582, p < 0.001), being a freshman (t = −5.782, p < 0.001), dissatisfaction with their academic major (t = −4.731, p < 0.001), alcohol use (t = 2.654, p = 0.007) and engaging in fewer than 7 h per week of extracurricular study or reading (t = −2.328, p = 0.020).
Conclusion: Insomnia in vocational college students is influenced by multiple factors and is strongly linked to sleep disturbances.
Contribution: This study provides empirical evidence on insomnia in this population and offers insights to guide targeted interventions in higher education settings.