Sleep hygiene practices and sleep quality among medical students in Egypt: a cross-sectional study
Abstract Background Sleep is an important component of human biological functioning and is necessary for optimal health and the maintenance of cognitive and psychological functions. Sleep hygiene is a collective term for the behaviors and environmental factors associated with good sleep. Objectives...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2025-03-01
|
| Series: | Sleep Science and Practice |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s41606-025-00125-y |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850063738295549952 |
|---|---|
| author | Ahmed Talaia Ahmed Sowidan Ahmed Fahim Ahmed Elzohery Amira Hammoda Ibrahim Kabbash |
| author_facet | Ahmed Talaia Ahmed Sowidan Ahmed Fahim Ahmed Elzohery Amira Hammoda Ibrahim Kabbash |
| author_sort | Ahmed Talaia |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Sleep is an important component of human biological functioning and is necessary for optimal health and the maintenance of cognitive and psychological functions. Sleep hygiene is a collective term for the behaviors and environmental factors associated with good sleep. Objectives To assess the prevalence of poor sleep hygiene practices and poor sleep quality among medical students and to test the hypothesis that poor sleep hygiene is correlated with poor sleep quality. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted among 504 medical students at Tanta University, Egypt, using a random two-stage cluster sampling technique. Two validated questionnaires were used, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Sleep Hygiene Index (SHI), in addition to a sociodemographic section. Results The prevalence of poor sleep quality among the study participants was 71.2%. A total of 93.6% of the participants reported having poor sleep hygiene. There was a statistically significant positive correlation between sleep hygiene practices and sleep quality (r = 0.366, p < 0.001). The prevalence of poor sleep quality was the highest among students in the first grade (83.6%) and decreased to 66.0% among students in the fifth grade (p = 0.012). Using the bed for activities other than sleeping or sex; thinking, planning, or worrying when in bed; and doing important work before bedtime were the three most prevalent negative sleep hygiene practices, affecting 59.3%, 58.9%, and 54% of the participants, respectively. Conclusion Poor sleep hygiene practices and poor sleep quality are highly prevalent among Egyptian medical students. Medical students in their early academic years had a greater prevalence of poor sleep quality. Future educational programs on sleep hygiene are needed to raise awareness and possibly improve overall sleep quality in this population. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8dc523612bc94c99b72dbeae3f0f8555 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2398-2683 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sleep Science and Practice |
| spelling | doaj-art-8dc523612bc94c99b72dbeae3f0f85552025-08-20T02:49:30ZengBMCSleep Science and Practice2398-26832025-03-019111010.1186/s41606-025-00125-ySleep hygiene practices and sleep quality among medical students in Egypt: a cross-sectional studyAhmed Talaia0Ahmed Sowidan1Ahmed Fahim2Ahmed Elzohery3Amira Hammoda4Ibrahim Kabbash5Faculty of Medicine, Tanta UniversityFaculty of Medicine, Tanta UniversityFaculty of Medicine, Tanta UniversityFaculty of Medicine, Tanta UniversityDepartment of Public Health & Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta UniversityDepartment of Public Health & Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta UniversityAbstract Background Sleep is an important component of human biological functioning and is necessary for optimal health and the maintenance of cognitive and psychological functions. Sleep hygiene is a collective term for the behaviors and environmental factors associated with good sleep. Objectives To assess the prevalence of poor sleep hygiene practices and poor sleep quality among medical students and to test the hypothesis that poor sleep hygiene is correlated with poor sleep quality. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted among 504 medical students at Tanta University, Egypt, using a random two-stage cluster sampling technique. Two validated questionnaires were used, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Sleep Hygiene Index (SHI), in addition to a sociodemographic section. Results The prevalence of poor sleep quality among the study participants was 71.2%. A total of 93.6% of the participants reported having poor sleep hygiene. There was a statistically significant positive correlation between sleep hygiene practices and sleep quality (r = 0.366, p < 0.001). The prevalence of poor sleep quality was the highest among students in the first grade (83.6%) and decreased to 66.0% among students in the fifth grade (p = 0.012). Using the bed for activities other than sleeping or sex; thinking, planning, or worrying when in bed; and doing important work before bedtime were the three most prevalent negative sleep hygiene practices, affecting 59.3%, 58.9%, and 54% of the participants, respectively. Conclusion Poor sleep hygiene practices and poor sleep quality are highly prevalent among Egyptian medical students. Medical students in their early academic years had a greater prevalence of poor sleep quality. Future educational programs on sleep hygiene are needed to raise awareness and possibly improve overall sleep quality in this population.https://doi.org/10.1186/s41606-025-00125-ySleep qualitySleep hygieneMedical studentsEgypt |
| spellingShingle | Ahmed Talaia Ahmed Sowidan Ahmed Fahim Ahmed Elzohery Amira Hammoda Ibrahim Kabbash Sleep hygiene practices and sleep quality among medical students in Egypt: a cross-sectional study Sleep Science and Practice Sleep quality Sleep hygiene Medical students Egypt |
| title | Sleep hygiene practices and sleep quality among medical students in Egypt: a cross-sectional study |
| title_full | Sleep hygiene practices and sleep quality among medical students in Egypt: a cross-sectional study |
| title_fullStr | Sleep hygiene practices and sleep quality among medical students in Egypt: a cross-sectional study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sleep hygiene practices and sleep quality among medical students in Egypt: a cross-sectional study |
| title_short | Sleep hygiene practices and sleep quality among medical students in Egypt: a cross-sectional study |
| title_sort | sleep hygiene practices and sleep quality among medical students in egypt a cross sectional study |
| topic | Sleep quality Sleep hygiene Medical students Egypt |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s41606-025-00125-y |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ahmedtalaia sleephygienepracticesandsleepqualityamongmedicalstudentsinegyptacrosssectionalstudy AT ahmedsowidan sleephygienepracticesandsleepqualityamongmedicalstudentsinegyptacrosssectionalstudy AT ahmedfahim sleephygienepracticesandsleepqualityamongmedicalstudentsinegyptacrosssectionalstudy AT ahmedelzohery sleephygienepracticesandsleepqualityamongmedicalstudentsinegyptacrosssectionalstudy AT amirahammoda sleephygienepracticesandsleepqualityamongmedicalstudentsinegyptacrosssectionalstudy AT ibrahimkabbash sleephygienepracticesandsleepqualityamongmedicalstudentsinegyptacrosssectionalstudy |