# The relationship between sleep quality and academic achievement among students in health-related disciplines: a cross-sectional study

## TL;DR

This study finds that poor sleep quality is common among health students and is linked to their study habits and academic performance.

## Contribution

The study identifies associations between sleep quality, study habits, and academic outcomes in health-related students using a cross-sectional design.

## Key findings

- 80.9% of students had poor sleep quality based on the PSQI score.
- Dentistry students had higher odds of poor sleep quality compared to medical and nursing students.
- Each additional hour of study on exam day increased poor sleep quality odds by 10%.

## Abstract

Sleep plays a crucial role in maintaining both physical and cognitive functions, directly influencing academic performance among university students. This study aimed to determine the level of sleep quality and its associated personal and academic variables among students enrolled in the Faculties of Medicine, Dentistry, and Health Sciences at Giresun University.

This cross-sectional study was conducted between May and June 2025 among 315 students selected through stratified sampling from a population of 850. Data were collected via an online questionnaire including sociodemographic, academic, and sleep-related variables, as well as the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The sample size was calculated assuming a 50% prevalence, a 95% confidence level, a 5% margin of error, and an additional 15% to compensate for nonresponse. Statistical analyses included correlation tests and logistic regression.

Among participants, 56.8% strongly agreed and 31.4% agreed that their sleep pattern affects academic performance. According to the PSQI cut-off (> 5), 255 participants (80.9%) had poor sleep quality, while 60 (19.1%) had good sleep quality. A weak positive correlation was found between sleep duration on the exam day and most recent exam grade (r = 0.122, p = 0.030). GPA showed a weak positive correlation with sleep duration on the exam day (r = 0.166, p = 0.003), though not with total PSQI score. Dentistry students had significantly higher odds of poor sleep quality compared with both midwifery/nursing and medical students in multivariable analysis. Each additional hour of study on the exam day increased the odds of PSQI based poor sleep quality by 10% (OR = 1.10, p = 0.045).

Poor sleep quality was prevalent among health-related faculty students and was significantly associated with study habits. Interventions that promote effective study planning, adequate rest, and awareness of sleep hygiene are essential to improve academic performance and overall well-being, as well as to prepare students for future professional demands involving shift work and on-call duties.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12909-026-08861-0.