SLEEP PATTERN AMONG STUDENTS OF MEDICAL COLLEGE, HAIL UNIVERSITY, HAIL, KSA

Background: Among medical students, high levels of stress and emotional exhaustion have been associated with sleep problems. Recent researches have indicated a significant relationship between sleep patterns with academic and performance academic stressors contributed significantly to stress and sleep disorders in medical students. Objectives: This study aims to assess the sleep pattern and the prevalence of sleep disorder among sample of healthy medical students in Hail University, Hail, Saudi Arabia. Methods and subjects: About 213 out of 400 students from the Medical Colleges, Hail University, KSA starting from 2nd year to 6th year are responding to the questionnaire 156 (73.2% females) and 57 (26.8% males). The questionnaire consists of 34 closed questions, arranged in 6 subscales. It includes six questions about the demographic characteristics; four questions about lifestyle, six questions about sleep/awake habits characteristics, four questions about insomnia- related symptoms, six questions about symptoms of parasomnia, six questions about cognitive and psychomotor behaviors, and lastly, two questions about self perception of sleep satisfaction and use of sleeping pills. Results: Sleep pattern of medical students showed a significant difference among the students in the 3rd year (68.1%) and other students in 2nd year & clinical years in going bed more than 24 o'clock. Another significant difference was found between students in the 2nd year (78%) and other students in getting up in the morning < 7 o'clock, but students in clinical years (54.3%) showed high significant difference compared other students in getting up in the morning > 7 o'clock. Clinical years (45.6%) students took daytime naps from 60-120 minutes which is more significant difference from other students. Also, there was no significant differences between gender and parameters of insomnia except in the time taken to fall asleep each night, female students showed high percent compared to male students (5-10 min) and (26-40 min) While, high percent of male students fall in sleep more than female (11-25 min). About 12.0% of 2nd year students waked up 5-7 times in middle of nights more than other students as insomnia parameter. Male students never or rarely had bad dreams or speaking during sleep compared to female students as parasomnia parameter. Students in clinical years (91.4%) didn't show walking during sleep compared to other students. There was a significant difference between students took sleeping pills (78.9%) and difficulty in initiating sleep compared to (46.4%) who did not take sleeping pills. About 77.8% of students having perfect sleep satisfaction and had no difficulty to initiate sleep. Also, these students fell asleep directly after 5-10 minutes with perfect sleep satisfaction. Recommendation: Further researches are needed to study the effect of using phones on sleep hygiene and the correlation between the type of medical curriculum and the sleep pattern of medical students.