High-altitude sleep disturbance: Results of the Groningen Sleep Quality Questionnaire survey

ObjectiveTo assess the Groningen Sleep Quality Scale (GSQS) for evaluation of high-altitude sleep (HAS) disturbance and employ GSQ questionnaire to describe HAS.MethodsAfter the first night’s stay at the altitude of 3500 m, quality of sleep for 100 participants (age: 29.13 ± 11.01 years; 36 females/64 males) was assessed using the self-administered 15-item GSQS translated into Farsi.ResultsMean GSQS score was 5.36 ± 4.32; 38 (38%) participants had a score equal to or less than 2, and 46 (46%) participants had a score equal to or more than 6. A Cronbach’s alpha of 0.90 was calculated for internal consistency. Waking up several times during the night was the most prevalent complaint during the first night of sleep, and absolute inability to sleep was the most uncommon problem.ConclusionsHAS disturbance, which involved many of newcomers to a high altitude, had various harmful effects. For HAS research, GSQS was confirmed to be valid and reliable.