Sleep Quality and Its Association with Random Blood Glucose in Apparently Healthy South Indian Adults: A Cross-sectional Study

Background: Sleep disorders are a growing public health concern that is linked to metabolic dysregulation.However, evidence of these effects in nondiabetic populations remains limited.This study aimed to assess the prevalence of poor sleep quality using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and its association with random blood sugar (RBS) levels in healthy South Indian adults.Materials and methods: In this cross-sectional study, 130 apparently healthy individuals (aged 18-65 years) from a tertiary healthcare facility in South India were recruited.The quality of sleep was assessed using the PSQI, where poor sleep is indicated with a score of >5.Anthropometric measurements along with RBS were recorded.A two-stage sampling technique, stratified random sampling with proportional allocation, and simple random sampling were used.Multiple linear regression models explored the relationships, with adjustment for age, body mass index (BMI), gender, and lifestyle factors.Results: The present study had a 36.9%prevalence of poor sleep (PSQI >5).Median sleep duration was 7 hours [interquartile range (IQR) = 2.0], with poor sleepers reporting significantly shorter sleep durations (6 vs 8 hours, p < 0.001).Random blood sugar between poor and good sleepers showed no significant difference (median = 103.5 vs 108.5 mg/dL, p = 0.412).Regression analysis revealed no association between PSQI scores and RBS (p = 0.612), although the use of sleep medications was associated with elevated glucose levels (p < 0.001).Age also independently predicted higher RBS (p < 0.001).Conclusion: Over one-third of healthy adults experienced poor sleep quality, emphasizing the need for routine sleep screening.Despite no observed association between overall sleep quality and blood glucose levels, medication use emerged as a potential risk factor for glycemic control in nondiabetic adults.Clinical significance: Reduced sleep duration among poor sleepers may signal early health disturbances in otherwise healthy adult populations.Integrating sleep evaluation into routine care could support the early detection and prevention of metabolic issues.