0179 Sleep, Light Exposure, and Mental Health in Undergraduate Students

Abstract Introduction Many college students exhibit irregular sleep timing and late chronotype, which have been associated with worse mental health and lower academic performance. However, less is known about environmental and behavioral factors that affect these relationships. The SELF-A assesses students' self-efficacy beliefs regarding their use of specific self-regulatory processes related to academic functioning. This project aims to assess the relationship of lifestyle and behavioral factors (sleep, outdoor light exposure, and physical activity) with academic self-efficacy in undergraduates. Methods Undergraduate students living on campus and aged 18-23 completed an online survey between 10/2/2025-11/20/2025. Questionnaires included: demographics, academic self-efficacy (SELF-A), RUSATED sleep health, Light Exposure Behavior Assessment (LEBA), Godin Leisure-Time Exercise questionnaire (GLTEQ), Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression scale (CES-D), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 survey (GAD-7). Micro Munich Chronotype (μMCTQ) determines chronotype from mid-sleep on free-days corrected for sleep debt (MSFsc). Results Data available for 108 students who completed the survey (73.9% Female, 38% White, 13% Black, 40.7% Asian) with mean age of 18.5 years (SD=0.80). Participants included 51.9% with clinically significant depressive symptoms, 36.1% classified as having moderate or severe anxiety symptoms, 55.6% of the sample classified as late or very late chronotypes, and 80.6% in the active category. SELF-A correlated with RUSATED (r=0.375, p< 0.001), LEBA outdoor factor scores (r=0.240, p=0.014), GAD (r=-0.451, p< 0.001), CES-D (r=-0.516, p< 0.001), and MSFsc (r=-0.257, p=0.007). LEBA outdoor factor scores correlated with GLTEQ scores (r=0.255, p=0.011), and LEBA phone factor and GAD scores (r=0.200, p=0.040). RUSATED measures correlated with LEBA phone factor scores (r=-0.237, p=0.015) and GAD scores (r=-0.293, p=0.003). Multiple regression model indicates that lower SELF-A is associated with lower RUSATED (p< 0.001), with a trend for outdoor light (p=0.057). Conclusion Higher academic self-efficacy was associated with better sleep and a trend for higher outdoor light exposure, but not physical activity. Notably, worse mental health, later sleep timing, and light from a phone around the sleep period were also associated with poor SELF-A. Future steps include confirming these patterns with objective light and sleep measures to help develop targeted interventions enhancing light exposure and sleep hygiene among undergraduates. Support (if any) Center for Circadian and Sleep Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine.