Research Article

Screen Exposure, Circadian Rhythm, Sleep, Physical Activity, and Health Anxiety in University Students During Online Education

Number: 30 August 31, 2026
EN TR

Screen Exposure, Circadian Rhythm, Sleep, Physical Activity, and Health Anxiety in University Students During Online Education

Abstract

Aim: This study aimed to examine the associations between screen exposure, sedentary behavior, circadian rhythm, sleep, physical activity, and health anxiety among university students during the online education period.

Method: A total of 130 healthy university students participated. Data on socio-demographic characteristics, sleep onset latency, wake-up times, nighttime light exposure, and screen time were collected. Participants also completed the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), and the Short Health Anxiety Inventory.

Results: The sample included 101 females (78%) and 29 males (22%). Weak positive correlations were found between wake-up time and sleep onset latency, phone use and sleep duration, PSQI and several sleep parameters, ESS and phone use, and health anxiety with both PSQI and ESS. Weak negative correlations were observed between phone use and computer time, circadian rhythm and both sleep duration and phone use, and between circadian rhythm and PSQI and ESS. There was a moderate positive association observed between the ESS and PSQI scores.

Conclusion: The findings suggest that lifestyle changes associated with online education may be linked to alterations in students’ circadian rhythm, sleep quality, and health anxiety. However, most associations were weak, indicating that these outcomes are likely influenced by multiple interacting factors.

Keywords

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Physiotherapy

Journal Section

Research Article

Early Pub Date

August 31, 2026

Publication Date

August 31, 2026

Submission Date

September 9, 2025

Acceptance Date

July 30, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Number: 30

APA
Akçay, S., Uyaroğlu, M. B., Koyutürk, G., Kunduracilar, Z., Atalay, E. S., & Akkurt, B. (2026). Screen Exposure, Circadian Rhythm, Sleep, Physical Activity, and Health Anxiety in University Students During Online Education. Istanbul Gelisim University Journal of Health Sciences, 30, 681-694. https://doi.org/10.38079/igusabder.1780968
AMA
1.Akçay S, Uyaroğlu MB, Koyutürk G, Kunduracilar Z, Atalay ES, Akkurt B. Screen Exposure, Circadian Rhythm, Sleep, Physical Activity, and Health Anxiety in University Students During Online Education. IGUSABDER. 2026;(30):681-694. doi:10.38079/igusabder.1780968
Chicago
Akçay, Sümeyye, Mehmet Burak Uyaroğlu, Gamze Koyutürk, Zuhal Kunduracilar, Emre Serdar Atalay, and Burcu Akkurt. 2026. “Screen Exposure, Circadian Rhythm, Sleep, Physical Activity, and Health Anxiety in University Students During Online Education”. Istanbul Gelisim University Journal of Health Sciences, nos. 30: 681-94. https://doi.org/10.38079/igusabder.1780968.
EndNote
Akçay S, Uyaroğlu MB, Koyutürk G, Kunduracilar Z, Atalay ES, Akkurt B (August 1, 2026) Screen Exposure, Circadian Rhythm, Sleep, Physical Activity, and Health Anxiety in University Students During Online Education. Istanbul Gelisim University Journal of Health Sciences 30 681–694.
IEEE
[1]S. Akçay, M. B. Uyaroğlu, G. Koyutürk, Z. Kunduracilar, E. S. Atalay, and B. Akkurt, “Screen Exposure, Circadian Rhythm, Sleep, Physical Activity, and Health Anxiety in University Students During Online Education”, IGUSABDER, no. 30, pp. 681–694, Aug. 2026, doi: 10.38079/igusabder.1780968.
ISNAD
Akçay, Sümeyye - Uyaroğlu, Mehmet Burak - Koyutürk, Gamze - Kunduracilar, Zuhal - Atalay, Emre Serdar - Akkurt, Burcu. “Screen Exposure, Circadian Rhythm, Sleep, Physical Activity, and Health Anxiety in University Students During Online Education”. Istanbul Gelisim University Journal of Health Sciences. 30 (August 1, 2026): 681-694. https://doi.org/10.38079/igusabder.1780968.
JAMA
1.Akçay S, Uyaroğlu MB, Koyutürk G, Kunduracilar Z, Atalay ES, Akkurt B. Screen Exposure, Circadian Rhythm, Sleep, Physical Activity, and Health Anxiety in University Students During Online Education. IGUSABDER. 2026;:681–694.
MLA
Akçay, Sümeyye, et al. “Screen Exposure, Circadian Rhythm, Sleep, Physical Activity, and Health Anxiety in University Students During Online Education”. Istanbul Gelisim University Journal of Health Sciences, no. 30, Aug. 2026, pp. 681-94, doi:10.38079/igusabder.1780968.
Vancouver
1.Sümeyye Akçay, Mehmet Burak Uyaroğlu, Gamze Koyutürk, Zuhal Kunduracilar, Emre Serdar Atalay, Burcu Akkurt. Screen Exposure, Circadian Rhythm, Sleep, Physical Activity, and Health Anxiety in University Students During Online Education. IGUSABDER. 2026 Aug. 1;(30):681-94. doi:10.38079/igusabder.1780968

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