A study to assess the quality of sleep among medical students of Mysuru, Karnataka, India

Abstract

Background: Every individual requires a period of rest to enhance and empower his/her work ability. Adequate quality of sleep is a prerequisite for optimal functioning of the students’ mind and body. Sleep problems are common in the general population. Medical students are one subgroup who are more vulnerable to poor sleep quality owing to multiple factors in their lifestyle. To assess the quality of sleep in a population of medical students of Mysore Medical College and Research Institute, Mysuru and to study the determinants affecting it. Methods: An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted using convenience sampling among 132 medical students of Mysore Medical College and Research Institute. A pre-designed and pre-tested structured questionnaire developed using the Pittsburgh quality of sleep index (PQSI) Score and Epworth daytime sleepiness scale (EDSS) was used. The data collected was compiled in MS- Excel and analysed using statistical package of social sciences (SPSS)Version 20.0. Results: Out of 132 medical students who were enrolled in the study, 55.3% (73/132) had an abnormal PSQI score. Males had better quality of sleep compared to females. Abnormal PSQI scores were associated with stress, alcohol and smoking. Conclusions: Sleep quality plays a major role in maintaining a medical student’s physical, mental and working capacity.