Abstract
BACKGROUND: Medical students are particularly susceptible to poor physical and mental health due to inadequate sleep. AIM: This study aimed to evaluate sleep behaviours such as sleep quality, sleep hygiene awareness, and practices among medical students at an institution in Himachal Pradesh. METHODOLOGY: The study encompassed all MBBS students enrolled at the institute during the study period. It examined the association between sleep quality and sleep hygiene awareness and practices. Validated tools such as the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Sleep Hygiene Awareness and Practice Scale (SHAPS) were used for assessment. RESULTS: Participants from each academic year were included, and the median global PSQI score was 7.91, with scores above 5 indicating poor sleep quality. A total of 241 students (76.75%) were identified as poor sleepers, while 73 students (23.24%) were classified as good sleepers. Sleep hygiene practice (SHP) score (14.39) was higher in poor sleepers in comparison with good sleepers (8.72), while sleep hygiene awareness (SHA) score (21) was similar in both groups. DISCUSSION: Poor sleep hygiene practices were significantly associated with poor sleep quality, whereas no significant relationship was observed between sleep quality and SHA. Additionally, there was no significant difference in sleep behaviours between genders. However, first-year and fourth-year students exhibited significantly poorer sleep quality and sleep hygiene practices compared to students in other academic years. CONCLUSION: Findings highlight the importance of addressing sleep health alongside academic demands to improve students' overall well-being and academic performance. Interventions like awareness campaigns and the creation of a supportive learning environment that prioritizes student well-being should be considered.