Medical Students “The Night Owls”: Cross-Sectional Analysis of the Sleep Habits of Medical Undergraduates of an Institute in Northern India

Abstract

Background and Objective: Sleep is a biological necessity and essential for optimal health. Literature suggests college students are an at-risk population for sleep deprivation; hence, the present research was undertaken to assess the sleep habits of medical student population.

Materials and Methods: The present cross-sectional study was carried out on a convenient sample of apparently healthy medical students at an institute in Northern India. Information pertaining to the usual sleep-wake habits of participants was collected through a structured questionnaire based on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI).

Results: The study sample (n = 125) comprising 95 (76%) men and 30 (24%) women had mean age of 20.59 [standard deviation (SD) = 1.21] years. Findings about sleep habits were concerning as over two-thirds (68%) of the students were found to be sleep deprived. Almost half (46%) of the participants usually went to bed past midnight (average bedtime: 1:39 AM). Difficulty in falling asleep was reported by 46% of the sample. Half of the students perceived their sleep quality as poor or fair. Female students reported sleep deprivation more frequently (83% vs. 63%, respectively); female participants had about 3 times greater odds [odds ratio (OR): 2.92, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.02-8.31] of being sleep deprived than male students.

Conclusion: Sleep deprivation is quite prevalent among medical students with most of them staying up late at night. Difficulty in falling asleep and dissatisfaction with the sleep quality are also common. Female students seem to be more frequently sleep-restricted than male students