Eating and Sleeping: The Basics – Or Are They?

Abstract

This chapter covers two behaviors that greatly affect college students’ mental health and wellbeing: eating and sleeping. The chapter begins with a definition of eating disorders and distinguishes clinically disordered eating from other forms of problematic eating. The chapter describes common eating disorders among college students: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) and binge eating disorder. The chapter then discusses measures of problematic eating among college students, including the SCOFF, the Eating Disorder Inventory and the Eating Concerns subscale of the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms (CCAPS). Next, the chapter discusses the prevalence of problematic eating among college students. Cultural considerations are described, with particular attention paid to gender, sexual orientation and ethnicity. Causes of problematic eating among college students are discussed, and the consequences of problematic eating are explored, from shame to medical complications to death. Treatment options are detailed, as are barriers to seeking professional help. The chapter follows a similar structure in covering healthy and problematic sleep behaviors among college students. In particular, the chapter explores measures of sleep quality, the prevalence of problematic sleep among college students, their causes and consequences, as well as strategies for correcting poor sleep and interventions for promoting healthy sleep habits.

Citation

Hayes, J.A. (2024), "Eating and Sleeping: The Basics – Or Are They?", College Student Mental Health and Wellness: Coping on Campus, Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 189-226. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-83549-194-220241009