DIAS, G. D.; SOUZA,M. C. A.; GADELHA, R. F. A.; MOTA, S. C.; http://lattes.cnpq.br/3554182974497936; http://lattes.cnpq.br/4889085823140949; http://lattes.cnpq.br/4641817101576421; http://lattes.cnpq.br/5668848420023789; DIAS, Gustavo Dantas.; SOUZA, Maria Clara Aires de.; GADELHA, Rachel Frota Aguiar.; MOTA, Sissi Cláudio.
Résumé:
Sleep is one of the most important biological needs for our body. It is responsible for a
significant influence in the process of learning and memory consolidation. Sleep disturbances
can result in serious consequences to both physical and mental well being, compromising
quality of life, cognition and personality aspects, memory consolidation and learning process.
The main object of this research was to evaluate sleep quality in medicine students, through
the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). To verify if
these questionnaires score and the body mass index (BMI) influence students’ academic
performance. Questionnaires were applied to the students in the Federal University of
Campina Grande in two occasions, the beginning (stage 1) and the end of the 2013.1 semester
(stage 2). Students between the first and eighth semester were included, in a total of 153
participants. Students from the ninth to the twelfth semester, as well as the ones who didn ́t
participate in the stage 1 were excluded. A descriptive analysis was performed with the
results. There was a significant increase in the PSQI median between stage 1 and 2, which
demonstrates a worse sleep quality and the end of the semester when compared to the
beginning. Students who took longer to fall asleep revealed a worse PSQI. An increase in
the BMI led to a worsening in the students ́ sleep quality in the first stage; however, there was
no relation between BMI and academic outcome. An increase in the ESS score resulted in a
worsening in academic performance for the second and third semester students. In the fifth
semester, an increase in the ESS resulted in a better academic performance. When analyzing
the PSQI, an increase in the score resulted in a better academic performance among the
second and fifth semester students. He seventh semester presented a marginal effect for the
PSQI, revealing a worse performance with the increase of the PSQI score. In conclusion, ESS
and PSQI can influence academic performance, however, other variables may interfere in this
relation. It is possible that a great academic demand favor students to adopt a sleep
deprivation behavior, and improve performance, despite a worsening in sleep quality.