This study aimed to clarify the effects of three main attributes of an imbalanced lifestyle in university students―lack of sleep, lack of exercise, and poor interpersonal relations―on the characteristics of fatigue consciousness and its accompanying hypofunction.
1. Self-evaluation of fatigue consciousness in relation to lifestyle
Self-evaluation scores (maximum score for each factor: 25) of lifestyle habits and subjective fatigue symptoms were compared and examined. The results showed the following: 1) self-evaluation scores for four factors of drowsiness, anxiety, feeling unpleasant, and feeling unfocussed were significantly higher in the group with lack of sleep than in the group with sufficient sleep; 2) self-evaluation scores for all the factors of drowsiness, anxiety, feeling unpleasant, feeling heavy, and feeling unfocussed were higher in the group with lack of exercise than in the group with habitual exercise; 3) all these factors were higher in the group with poor interpersonal relations than the group with good interpersonal relations.
2. Psychological function in relation to lifestyle
1) Scores for “decreased arousal and alertness” were significantly higher in the groups with lack of sleep, lack of exercise, and poor interpersonal relations due to lifestyle imbalance.
2) Scores for “decreased autonomic function” showed no significant differences according to amount of sleep or amount of exercise; however, these scores were higher in the group with poor interpersonal relations than in the group with good interpersonal relations.
3. Causal relationship between lifestyle imbalance and decrease in psychological function
A multiple linear regression analysis was carried out with “imbalanced lifestyle” as the independent variable and “decreased psychological function” as the dependent variable. Of the three main attributes of an imbalanced lifestyle, a significant path coefficient for “decreased arousal and alertness” was shown by lack of sleep, lack of exercise, and poor interpersonal relations; a significant path coefficient for “decreased autonomic function” was shown for poor interpersonal relations only. The proportion of variance explained in the regression equation was significant for both “decreased psychological function” and “decreased autonomic function.” It was therefore shown that "decreased arousal and alertness," which is an important factor in the body’s psychological regulation, was affected by all three of the main attributes of lifestyle imbalance; "decreased autonomic function" was affected by poor interpersonal relations.
