Sleep Quality and Its Influencing Factors in Medical Students
Paskorn Sritipsukho, MD¹,², Lalit Leelathipkul, MD¹, Napatsorn Techasooksant, MD¹, Kunanya Watcharawasunthara, MD¹, Krittin Tangjittham³, Punya Suparattanapinant³
Affiliation : ¹ Faculty of Medicine, Thammasat University Hospital, Thammasat University, Pathum Thani, Thailand; ² Center of Excellence in Applied Epidemiology, Thammasat University, Pathum Thani, Thailand; ³ Medical student, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Thammasat University Hospital, Thammasat University, Pathum Thani, Thailand
Background: Sleep is a vital biological process essential for cognitive function, mental well-being, and overall physical health. Medical students, due to their rigorous academic demands, often experience poor sleep quality, which can adversely affect their academic performance and personal lives.
Objective: To evaluate sleep quality and the factors influencing it among pre-clinical and clinical students at medical school.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 403 medical students between June 1 and December 31, 2022. Participants were evaluated using the Thai version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) to measure sleep quality and disturbances over a one-month period. The data were analyzed using Stata, version 16.
Results: Clinical students reported significantly shorter sleep durations (5.55 versus 6.12 hours, p<0.001) and a higher prevalence of poor sleep quality (73.0% versus 62.0%, p=0.018) compared to pre-clinical students. Multivariable analysis revealed that female students were less likely to have poor sleep quality (AOR 0.65, 95% CI 0.40 to 1.07, p=0.011), while LGBTQ+ students (AOR 2.16, 95% CI 0.86 to 5.38, p=0.011) and smokers (AOR 2.08, 95% CI 1.00 to 4.33, p=0.049) were at higher risk. Physical inactivity and bedtime routines, such as reading, were also significantly associated with sleep quality.
Conclusion: Clinical medical students experience poorer sleep quality compared to pre-clinical students, with individual behaviors like smoking, physical inactivity, and bedtime habits influencing sleep more significantly than academic phase or demographic factors. Interventions focused on promoting healthy sleep hygiene, regular exercise, and stress reduction may improve sleep quality and overall well-being among medical students.
Received 24 November 2025 | Revised 3 March 2026 | Accepted 18 March 2026
DOI: 10.35755/jmedassocthai.2026.5.03931
Keywords : Sleep quality; Medical students; Health behavior
All Articles
Download
