Influence of Sleep Quality Components on Academic Performance of Nursing Students

Abstract

In the context of advancing science and technology, understanding sleep quality has become paramount, often measured through the widely utilized Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). However, the specific factors within sleep quality influencing the academic performance of nursing students remain elusive. Thus, this study aims to investigate the relationship between sleep quality components and academic performance of nursing students. This is an observational cross-sectional study conducted from March to June 2023. For this purpose, 160 first-year nursing students at Donggang University were recruited using [the sample size calculation software G*power 3.1.9.7. To make the responses more targeted, the Korean version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI-K) was used during the data process. I divided the participants into groups based on academic performanceexcellent and poor-and investigated whether there was a significant difference. The findings revealed that the respondents with excellent academic performance had better sleep quality compared to those with poor academic performance. Among the components of sleep quality, there were significant differences in total sleep time, bedtime, interval between sleep onset after bedtime, and wakefulness during sleep. In PSQI-K, significant differences were observed in the total score, subjective sleep quality, sleep duration, sleep disturbance, and daytime dysfunction. This study underscores the importance of evaluating college students' sleep quality in tandem with learning outcomes, emphasizing the crucial correlation between sleep quality and key cognitive functions, such as concentration, complex thinking, short-term memory, and long-term memory.