Impact of sleep quality and perceived stress on academic performance of MBBS students

Abstract Background Sleep quality and perceived stress are crucial factors influencing medical students’ performance. This study examined the relationship between these variables among first-year MBBS students. Methods A prospective cohort of 101 students from the Tomo Riba Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (TRIHMS), Naharlagun, was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and Grade Point Average (GPA). Assessments were conducted at baseline and before the first internal examination. Data were analyzed using paired-samples t-test for within-subject comparisons, one-way ANOVA for between-group comparisons, and Pearson’s correlation for association analysis. Results The prevalence of poor sleep increased from 38.6% to 47.5% during the pre-examination period. Female students had higher baseline stress (21.53 ± 4.39 vs. 19.02 ± 4.60, p < 0.05) and GPA (1.12 ± 0.81 vs. 0.79 ± 0.61, p < 0.05). Higher perceived stress was significantly associated with poorer sleep quality, but GPA did not differ across stress groups. GPA correlated negatively with pre-exam PSQI scores ( r = − 0.213, p = 0.033), whereas pre-exam stress correlated positively with poor sleep ( r = 0.348, p < 0.001). Conclusion Poor sleep and high stress were common during examinations, with sleep quality showing a modest association with academic performance. Females demonstrated higher baseline stress while maintaining better academic performance. These findings are consistent with existing literature and underscore the need for further research into stress and sleep-related factors in medical education.