Correlation Between Sleep Quality and Academic Performance Among Nursing Students: A Quantitative Analytical Cross-Sectional Study
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Background: Sleep quality is an important determinant of cognitive functioning, concentration, memory consolidation, and academic engagement among nursing students, who often experience demanding coursework, clinical duties, stress, and irregular routines. Objective: This study aimed to assess the relationship between sleep quality and academic performance among undergraduate nursing students at Rehman College of Nursing, Peshawar. Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted among 120 undergraduate nursing students selected through convenience sampling from a total population of 173 students. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire comprising demographic characteristics, adapted short-form Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index items, and self-reported last-semester GPA. Sleep-related variables included perceived sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, daytime sleepiness, and sleep disturbance. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 27 through descriptive statistics and correlation analysis. Results: Most participants were male (93.3%) and younger than 25 years (74.2%). Poor sleep-related indicators were common: 66.7% reported fairly bad or very bad sleep quality, 67.5% required more than 30 minutes to fall asleep, and 72.5% slept less than 7 hours per night. Academically, 59.2% reported a GPA of 3.0 or above. Total sleep duration showed a very strong positive correlation with GPA (r = 0.968, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Sleep duration was strongly associated with academic performance among nursing students, indicating that healthier sleep patterns may support better academic outcomes
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