THE IMPACT OF SLEEP DEPRIVATION ON NURSING STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

Abstract

Background: Adequate sleep is essential for cognitive functioning, concentration, emotional well-being, and effective learning. Nursing students may be particularly vulnerable to inadequate sleep due to demanding academic workloads, clinical responsibilities, examinations, and irregular schedules. Poor sleep quality may affect students' daytime functioning and academic activities. Objective: This study aimed to assess sleep quality and its relationship with academic performance among undergraduate nursing students at Mustafa Kamal Institute of Nursing and Medical Sciences, Vehari. Methods: A quantitative, descriptive cross-sectional study design was used. Data were collected from undergraduate nursing students using a structured self-administered questionnaire containing demographic and sleep-related items adapted from the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). A total of 76 responses were received, of which 75 valid responses were included in the final analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize participant characteristics and sleep-related variables. The relationship between the measured sleep quality score and academic performance, represented by self-reported cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA), was assessed using Spearman's rank correlation. Results: Among the 75 participants, the majority were female (80.0%), single (96.0%), and aged 21–23 years (40.0%). The mean reported partial sleep quality score was 5.78 ± 2.41. Participants also reported varying levels of sleep-related difficulties and daytime tiredness affecting concentration during lectures or clinical duties. The correlation analysis showed no statistically significant relationship between the measured sleep quality score and cumulative GPA (Spearman's rho = 0.052, p = 0.663). Conclusion: The study identified sleep-related difficulties and daytime tiredness among undergraduate nursing students; however, no statistically significant relationship was found between the measured sleep quality score and academic performance as represented by GPA. Further research using larger, multi-centre samples, validated complete sleep assessment tools, and longitudinal study designs is recommended to better understand the relationship between sleep quality and academic outcomes among nursing students.