Physical Activity and Sleep Patterns During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Insights from a Cluster Analysis

This study examined the relationship between physical activity levels and sleep quality among students during the COVID-19 pandemic, identifying patterns through clustering analysis. A longitudinal cohort of 1,600 students from Wroclaw Medical University, Poland participated from October 2020 to March 2021, with data collected in two stages: Stage I (n = 845) after six months and Stage II (n = 755) after one year. Physical activity levels, measured by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-S), were categorized as low, moderate, or high in metabolic equivalent of task (MET) minutes per week, while sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), classifying participants as “good” or “poor” sleepers. Clustering analysis applied hierarchical agglomerative clustering (HAC) on 2021 data. Walking MET scores increased for both genders from 2020 to 2021, with significant gender differences. Females showed increased total MET, while male scores remained stable. Four clusters emerged: Clusters 1 and 2, with high walking plus vigorous or moderate activity, had shorter sleep durations, suggesting higher activity supports better sleep. Cluster 3, with low vigorous and moderate activity, had longer sleep duration, while Cluster 4, with irregular activity, showed the longest sleep duration, indicating inconsistent activity may increase sleep needs. Overall, consistent and varied physical activity may support optimal sleep patterns among students.