Working memory and sleep quality in Chinese adolescents

This study explored the relationship between working memory and sleep quality among Chinese adolescents to provide a basis for forming cognitive development and sleep intervention strategies. Our sample comprised 5,018 adolescents aged 13–18 years from seven cities in China, whom we recruited between September and December 2023 using whole-cluster random sampling. We tested adolescents’ sleep quality using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index Scale (PSQI) and tested working memory using the N-back task. Total PSQI scores were significantly higher for girls than for boys. Age had a significant effect on working memory performance. Total PSQI scores were positively correlated with response time, and sleep quality had a significant effect on response time during the 1-back task but not the 2-back task. Those adolescents with better sleep quality performed better on the working memory task.