Impact Of Stress And Screen Time On Sleep Among Medical Students - A Cross Sectional Study

Abstract

Introduction: Sleep is a physiological process that is required for physical, mental, and social well-being. An outbreak of the covid pandemic made a huge impact on the teaching methodology in the academia due to lockdown which had an indirect impact on the sleep and lifestyle of the students.

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of sleep among medical students and to correlate it with stress and screen time exposure during the covid period.

Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 265 medical undergraduate students aged 18 to 25 years. Stress levels were assessed using perceived stress scale, sleep quality of the study participants were assessed using the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), sleep hygiene, and screen time exposure were assessed using questionnaires like Sleep Hygiene Index (SHI), Screen Time Questionnaire.

Results: Sleep quality and sleep hygiene were both reduced among the students.44% of students had moderately poor sleep quality, while 12% had severely poor sleep quality. When their stress levels were assessed, it was found that 69% of them were moderately stressed and 17% were severely stressed, with female participants predominating males. Screen time exposure during the weekdays was associated with sleep quality and duration.

Conclusion: The study showed the prevalence of poor sleep quality was higher among medical students, and increased screen time usage has an impact on sleep quality.