Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Sleep quality is critical for medical professionals and students, who often face sleep disturbances due to demanding schedules. This study explores the association between physical activity and sleep quality among doctors and medical students in Tamil Nadu, India, addressing a notable gap in existing research. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Tamil Nadu, India, targeting doctors and medical students. Participants were recruited through an online Google Forms (Google LLC, Mountain View, California, United States) questionnaire distributed via social media platforms, which included the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) which provided measures of physical activity in MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Tasks) minutes/week and comprehensive sleep quality assessments, respectively, with a PSQI score above 5 indicating poor sleep quality. Data analysis was performed using jamovi version 2.2.2. RESULTS: In this study of 222 participants, predominantly young adults (80% were aged 18-40) and medical students (68.6%), we found a high prevalence of poor sleep quality (74.9%). Physical activity levels varied, with only 5.4% engaging in high levels of activity and no significant association between physical activity level and sleep quality (p=0.659). Additionally, while males showed significantly higher MET scores than females (p < 0.001), there was no significant correlation between MET scores and PSQI scores (p=0.205, r=-0.075). CONCLUSION: This study highlights a high prevalence of poor sleep quality and a low prevalence of high physical activity among medical professionals and students in South India. The study findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to enhance sleep quality and overall well-being in this demographic.