A Cross-Sectional Study on the Prevalence of Insomnia Among Medical Undergraduates

Background: Insomnia is defined as a persistent difficulty with sleep initiation, duration, or consolidation that occurs despite adequate opportunity and circumstances for sleep and results in concern, dissatisfaction, or perceived daytime impairment, such as fatigue, decreased mood or irritability, general malaise, or cognitive impairment. Medical students comprise a small group of people who seem to be more prone to sleep deprivation and poor sleep quality, hence, they have been considered in this study. Objectives: 1. To study the prevalence of insomnia among medical students. 2. To determine the severity of insomnia affecting medical students. 3. To determine the common factors causing insomnia in medical students. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among 242 medical undergraduates of Gandhi Medical College, Secunderabad, Telangana. The Insomnia Severity Index was used to determine the severity of insomnia among medical undergraduates. Data analysis was done with the help of MS Excel, and the results were calculated. Results: Among the 242 students,11 (4.54) were found to be insomniac, 79 (32.64) were found to have subthreshold insomnia, and 152 (62.82) were found to be non-insomniacs. Conclusion: This study concludes that insomnia is commonly observed among medical undergraduates, with increased screen time and higher caffeine intake identified as key contributing factors. Other demographic and lifestyle variables showed no significant association with insomnia.