Abstract
Introduction: Sleep quality is a relevant determinant of academic performance among medical students, a population exposed to high cognitive and organizational demands. This study describes the sleep profile and its relationship with subjective academic performance. Methods: Cross-sectional study in fifth-year students. The Oviedo Sleep Questionnaire and the RAU Scale (subjective component: contribution to academic activities, study dedication, and organization of learning resources) were administered, along with sociodemographic items. Descriptive analyses, sex comparisons (Mann-Whitney U test), and Spearman correlations between sleep domains and performance subscales were conducted. Results: The sample included 48 students (75% women). Women showed higher levels of hypersomnia, whereas men reported lower subjective sleep satisfaction. No sex differences were found in the RAU subscales. Correlations indicated that poorer sleep (more insomnia/hypersomnia and lower satisfaction) is associated with lower contribution and dedication and greater disorganization of learning resources. Conclusions: Sleep disturbances are related to subjective academic performance in medical students, with sex-specific profiles. Institutional programs on sleep hygiene and study organization may help enhance academic engagement. Longitudinal studies with objective sleep measures and control of psychosocial variables are recommended to clarify causality and underlying mechanisms.
References
1. Bouloukaki I, Tsiligianni I, Stathakis G, Fanaridis M, Koloi A, Bakiri E, et al. Sleep Quality and Fatigue during Exam Periods in University Students: Prevalence and Associated Factors. Healthcare (Basel). 25 de agosto de 2023;11(17):2389.
2. Chaabane S, Chaabna K, Khawaja S, Aboughanem J, Mittal D, Mamtani R, et al. sleep disorders and associated factors among medical students in the Middle East and North Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis [Internet]. Vol. 14, Scientific Reports. Nature Research; 2024. Disponible en: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85186247152&doi=10.1038%2fs41598-024-53818-2&partnerID=40&md5=a3ae5434c8ad5d5e5a028fe52eddf2ad
3. Ferry D S, Sharon L H, Tahereh S I, Winny N W, Mohamad H H. Prevalence of Poor Sleep Quality Based on Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) among Medical Students in Southeast Asia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Sleep Disord Manag [Internet]. 31 de diciembre de 2024 [citado 3 de noviembre de 2025];9(1). Disponible en: https://clinmedjournals.org/articles/jsdm/journal-of-sleep-disorders-and-management-jsdm-9-046.php?jid=jsdm
4. Cardoso GM da S, da Silva MPFN, Corrêa C de C, Weber SAT. Insomnia and excessive daytime sleepiness in medical students: consequences of the use of technologies? Sleep Sci. 2022;15(Spec 1):116-9.
5. Niño García JA, Barragán Vergel MF, Ortiz Labrador JA, Ochoa Vera ME, González Olaya HL. Factors associated with excessive daytime sleepiness in medical students of a higher education institution of Bucaramanga. Revista Colombiana de Psiquiatría (English ed). octubre de 2019;48(4):222-31.
6. Vidović S, Rakić N, Kraštek S, Pešikan A, Degmečić D, Zibar L, et al. Sleep Quality and Mental Health Among Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Study. J Clin Med. 26 de marzo de 2025;14(7):2274.
7. Truong N, Nguyen H, Pham T, Chu D, Bui L. Sleep quality by clinical training status among medical students and its associated factors: a cross-sectional study in Da Nang, Vietnam. Sci Rep. 29 de septiembre de 2025;15(1):33671.
8. Barrera-Herrera A, Riffo-Álvarez C, Fernández-Hernández D, Ortiz-Peña F, Salazar-Fernández C. Cuestionario Oviedo del Sueño: Evidencias de Validez y Confiabilidad en Universitarios Chilenos. REV IBEROAM DIAGN EV. abril de 2023;68(2):51.
9. Preciado-Serrano MDL, Ángel-González M, Colunga-Rodríguez C, Vázquez-Colunga JC, Esparza-Zamora MA, Vázquez-Juárez CL, et al. Construcción y Validación de la Escala RAU de Rendimiento Académico Universitario. REV IBEROAM DIAGN EV. 1 de julio de 2021;60(3):5-14.
10. Olarte-Durand M, Roque-Aycachi JB, Rojas-Humpire R, Canaza-Apaza JF, Laureano S, Rojas-Humpire A, et al. Mood and Sleep Quality in Peruvian Medical Students During COVID-19 Pandemic. Revista Colombiana de Psiquiatría. enero de 2024;53(1):47-54.
11. Fardin Zavarise L, Lima Gonçalves CR, Giffoni Lustosa N, De Mesquita Duarte GG, Aline Soares E. Relação entre a qualidade de sono e o rendimento acadêmico dos estudantes de medicina: revisão sistemática. RSD. 12 de junio de 2023;12(6):e11612642047.
12. Hernández-Sampieri R, Mendoza Torres C. Metodología de la Investigación: las rutas cuantitativa, cualitativa y mixta. 1ra ed. México DF, México: McGraw Hill Education; 2019. 752 p.
13. Asociación Médica Mundial. Asociación Médica Mundial. 2024 [citado 3 de noviembre de 2025]. Declaración de Helsinki de la AMM. Principios éticos para las investigaciones médicas con participantes humanos. Disponible en: https://www.wma.net/es/policies-post/declaracion-de-helsinki-de-la-amm-principios-eticos-para-las-investigaciones-medicas-en-seres-humanos/
14. Jahrami H, Dewald-Kaufmann J, Faris MAI, AlAnsari AMS, Taha M, AlAnsari N. Prevalence of sleep problems among medical students: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Public Health (Berl). octubre de 2020;28(5):605-22.
15. Marta OFD, Kuo SY, Bloomfield J, Lee HC, Ruhyanudin F, Poynor MY, et al. Gender differences in the relationships between sleep disturbances and academic performance among nursing students: A cross-sectional study. Nurse Educ Today. febrero de 2020;85:104270.
16. Seoane HA, Moschetto L, Orliacq F, Orliacq J, Serrano E, Cazenave MI, et al. Sleep disruption in medicine students and its relationship with impaired academic performance: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep Medicine Reviews. octubre de 2020;53:101333.
17. Paz García-Portilla M, Alejandra Sáiz P, Díaz-Mesa EM, Fonseca E, Arrojo M, Sierra P, et al. Psychometric performance of the Oviedo Sleep Questionnaire in patients with severe mental disorder. Revista de Psiquiatría y Salud Mental (English Edition). 2009;2(4):169-77.
18. Souza AKR, Sandes RS, Vasco RFV, Albuquerque EVDA. Quality of sleep and excessive daytime sleepiness among medical students in a Brazilian private university. Rev Assoc Med Bras. 2024;70(3):e20231141.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 2025 Luigi Manuel Rodríguez González, William Castillo González (Author)