Prevalence of sleep disorders among Medical Students- A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Sleep disorders and sleep disturbances are common among medical students and may adversely affect health, learning, and patient safety. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of poor sleep quality, sleep disturbances, and daytime sleepiness among MBBS students and to examine their association with perceived stress. Methods A cross-sectional observational study was conducted in the Department of Physiology, Sri Aurobindo Institute of Medical Sciences (SAIMS), Indore. A total of 250 MBBS students from IInd, IIIrd and IVth year were enrolled using convenience sampling. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire comprising demographic details and academic performance information, Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) for daytime sleepiness, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) for sleep quality and related parameters, and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) for psychological stress. Descriptive statistics were used to calculate prevalence with 95% confidence intervals. Results The mean age of participants was 19.8 ± 1.2 years; females constituted 50.8% and males 49.2%. Poor sleep quality was reported by 54.4% (95% CI: 48.4–60.4). The mean sleep duration was 6.34 ± 1.24 hours; 56.8% (95% CI: 50.9–62.7) had short sleep duration (<6.5 hours). Sleep disturbances (mild to severe) were present in 65.6% (95% CI: 59.7–71.5). Moderate-to-high daytime sleepiness (ESS 10–24) was observed in 35.6% (95% CI: 29.8–41.4). High-to-severe perceived stress levels were found in 37.2% (95% CI: 31.3–43.1). Poor sleep was slightly higher in males (57.7%) compared to females (51.2%). Overall, 74.0% (95% CI: 68.4–79.6) reported at least two sleep-related problems. Conclusion A substantial proportion of MBBS students at SAIMS, Indore experienced poor sleep quality, short sleep duration, sleep disturbances, and clinically relevant daytime sleepiness, alongside a high burden of perceived stress. These findings support the need for targeted sleep health screening and stress-management interventions within medical colleges to improve student well-being and academic functioning