Abstract

Background.  Hygiene and sleep quality have been linked to cognitive functioning in adolescents. The increasing use of technological devices can negatively affect their sleep and academic performance.

Objective  . To study variables involved in the hygiene or sleep disorders, the use of electronic devices, and academic achievement, and detect differences and associations according to age and sex.

Methods.   A cross-sectional descriptive study in which 53 students aged 13-16 years participated in answering about their sleep hygiene and their use of technological devices. Also, the BEARS sleep screening and Brief Scale of Scholar Adjustment were applied to them. In addition, their parents informed about their school grades and physical exercise.

Results.   The main results were observed in adolescents aged 13-14 years who experienced stress (M = 4,33), consumed stimulant drinks (M = 2,89), and had sleep problems (50%). In general, there was a significant lag between bedtime school days and weekends; the difference was accentuated with age. Sleepiness was the most referred sleep disorder (47%) and was associated with later disconnection of electronic devices and shorter sleep duration. The school grades, better in women, correlated with school adjustment (generally satisfactory) and affected by sleepiness and sleep problems.

Conclusions.  The theoretical implications of the study could be useful to build a model that combines these variables and practical implications for the development of proposals for socio-educational intervention focused on improving sleep hygiene and the use of technological devices to minimize its negative impact on academic performance.

Keywords: Adolescents; electronic devices; sleep; academic achievement