ObjectiveTo investigate the correlation between physical activities and sleep duration in senior school students in Shanghai.

MethodsBy using systematic sampling methods, 28 senior schools were randomly selected from 17 districts in Shanghai in 2015-2016.By using simple random sampling methods, 2 classes were randomly selected from each grade of the 28 schools.By using the Survey Questionnaire for Health-related Behaviors of Teenagers in Shanghai (senior school version), questionnaire surveys were performed to investigate the sleep duration and the related physical activities of senior school students.

ResultsA total of 6 401 students (male students accounted for 45.6% and female students 54.4%) were surveyed.94.8% of the students were found to sleep less than 8 hours a day and 62.8% of the students less than 7 hours.Single-factor analysis found that lack of sleep in girls were more serious than boys, and were more serious in higher grade.Daily moderate intensity activity for 60 minutes, daily walking or riding a bike for 30 minutes, PE lesson per week, extracurricular physical exercise were positively correlated with the sleep duration.Multi-factor analysis found that gender, grade, daily walking or riding a bike for 30 minutes, extracurricular physical exercise were positively correlated with the sleep duration.

ConclusionLack of sleep is common among senior school students in Shanghai, and sleep insufficiency is correlated with daily walking or riding a bike for 30 minutes, extracurricular physical exercise, which suggests that it is very necessary to provide senior school students with education that improves their physical activities.