Gender disparities in sleep quality: insights from high school and college students in Thiruvalla Taluk, Kerala

Sleep quality is an important yet most neglected aspect of an individual. This study examined gender differences in sleep quality among students from five academic streams namely High School, Arts and Science, Engineering, Pharmacy, and Nursing using Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The results revealed that females had poorer sleep quality compared to males in High school, Engineering, and Pharmacy streams, whereas in Arts & Science and Nursing streams, males showed slightly worse sleep quality than females, although the difference was negligible. Despite assessing academic, lifestyle, and environmental factors, no clear gender-based trends were found. However, females reported higher academic stress, in terms of exam fear and late-night studying. This article is likely the first to explore gender-based differences in sleep quality across five different streams in the Pathanamthitta district of Kerala.