Background: Sleep is essential for optimal cognitive functioning, mental well-being, and overall health, with deviations from recommended sleep durations leading to negative consequences, particularly among medical students. Given the demanding nature of medical education, sleep insufficiency is common and has been linked to impaired academic performance and increased stress levels, making the promotion of healthy sleep habits crucial for student success.
Methods: This study employed a cross-sectional research design, collecting data from 101 students at Al-Imam Mohammed Bin Saud Medical College. A convenience sampling method was used, and questionnaires were distributed via social media platforms such as Telegram, WhatsApp, and X. The data were cleaned in Excel and analyzed using SPSS Version 27.
Results: The study revealed a general trend of students sleeping past midnight (76.2%). Key sleep disturbances, such as difficulty falling asleep within 30 minutes, were prevalent, with nearly two-thirds (65.3%) of students experiencing it. Sleep-related symptoms like loud snoring were uncommon, affecting only 19.68% of participants. Emotional distress symptoms, including nervousness and depression, were reported by 60.9% and 63.4% of students, respectively. Most sleep quality and psychological factors did not show a statistically significant relationship with GPA (p-value > 0.05), indicating that GPA scores are multidimensional and influenced by various factors.
Conclusion: This study found that students who go to bed after midnight tend to have lower GPAs, suggesting that earlier bedtimes may improve academic performance. Although issues such as fatigue, anxiety, and restlessness were reported, they did not significantly impact GPA, highlighting that academic performance is influenced by multiple factors. To enhance academic outcomes at IMSIU, it is important to encourage earlier bedtimes, manage stress, and promote healthy sleep habits.
Key words: Sleep, Medical Students, Sleep Quality, Academic Performance
|
