Abstract

The number of hours of Physical Education could be associated with benefits in sleep quality in adolescents. The aim of this study was to determine the association between the frequency of Physical Education classes and sleep quality in high school students from schools in the fifth region of Valparaíso. A total of 286 students participated (113 females and 173 males), with an average age of 16.3±2.64 years (16.0±0.99 females, 16.4±3.29 males). The Youth Activity Profile Latin American version (YAP-SL) questionnaire was used to determine the frequency of weekly Physical Education classes, while subjective sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). 55.8% of women and 62.4% of men have PE once a week and men have a higher number of PE classes per week than women (p= 0.043; COC= 0.196). In the PSQI, men had a lower score (15.6 points) and therefore a better sleep quality compared to women (19.5 points) (p<0.001). A positive association was observed between the number of weekly physical education classes and sleep quality in schoolchildren (p=0.033; β= -0.306). In conclusion, a greater number of Physical Education classes is associated with a better quality of sleep in students, results that suggest the intervention of the public authorities, which, among other points, increase the frequency of Physical Education classes in the Chilean educational system. © 2024 Federacion Espanola de Docentes de Educacion Fisica. All rights reserved.