Background: Medical students are exposed to a significant level of pressure because of their academic demands. Thus, they are at increased risk for sleep disorders. Objectives: This study was conducted to examine the prevalence of sleep disturbance among medical students and investigate any relationship between sleep disorder and academic performance.
Materials and Methods:This work is a cross-sectional questionnaire-based study. Participants of this study consisted of first-, second-, and third-year medical students. The Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) was adopted to identify sleep disorder, and the grade point average of the students was recorded for academic performance. Results: A total of 177 respondents, with a response rate of 55%, were obtained. According to the PSQI score, 36.6% of participants were considered to have abnormal sleep habits, with a statistically significant increase in female students (P < 0.05). Abnormal PSQI scores were associated with lower academic achievement (P < 0.05). Marital status, habitat, smoking and physical activity were also associated with PSQI scores. Conclusions: A high prevalence of sleep disorder was found in this population, specifically among female students. Analysis of the relationship between sleep disorder and academic performance indicates a significant relationship of PSQI scores with marital status, habitat, smoking, physical activity, and academic performance.