Consumption of energy drinks and their relationship with sleep quality in young adults from a health school in Colombia

Abstract

Introduction: Energy drinks are widely consumed by university students due to their stimulating effects on alertness and cognitive performance. However, their high caffeine content and other bioactive compounds can affect sleep quality, constituting a growing public health concern. Objective: To determine the relationship between energy drink consumption and sleep quality in young adults enrolled in a health sciences faculty in Colombia. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study with convenience sampling was conducted. Participants included 101 students between 18 and 30 years of age. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire on energy drink consumption habits and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Descriptive analysis, normality tests (Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Shapiro-Wilk), and correlation analysis using Pearson and Spearman coefficients were performed. Results: The frequency of energy drink consumption was low in most participants, with a mean of 0.95 and a predominance of minimal consumption levels. In contrast, sleep quality was poor in 83.2% of the sample, with a mean PSQI score of 9.39 points, a value above the clinical cutoff point (>5). Correlation tests did not reveal a statistically significant association between the frequency of energy drink consumption and sleep quality (Pearson: r = -0.017; p = 0.863; Spearman: p = 0.006; p= 0.952). Conclusions: Although the sleep quality of the students evaluated was found to be impaired, no significant relationship was identified with the frequency of energy drink consumption. These findings suggest that other factors, such as academic stress, course load, sleep habits, and aspects related to mental health, may have a greater influence on sleep quality in this university population.