EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SLEEP QUALITY AND COGNITIVE PERFORMANCE AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS EXPERIENCING ACADEMIC STRESS

Abstract

Background: Sleep quality plays a vital role in maintaining cognitive functions such as attention, memory, and executive control, particularly in young adults under academic pressure. University students often compromise sleep due to demanding schedules, which may impair cognitive performance and academic outcomes. Despite growing awareness, few studies in South Asia have quantified this relationship using objective cognitive assessments and standardized stress evaluations.

Objective: To investigate how variations in sleep quality affect cognitive performance in university students experiencing academic stress in the Lahore region of Pakistan.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted over eight months involving 422 undergraduate students selected through stratified random sampling from multiple universities in Lahore. Sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and perceived stress levels were measured using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). Cognitive performance was evaluated through the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB), including sustained attention (RVP), working memory (SWM), and executive function (SOC) modules. Statistical analyses included t-tests, ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and multivariate linear regression, with significance set at p < 0.05.

Results: Poor sleepers (62.6%) had significantly lower cognitive scores across all domains compared to good sleepers (p < 0.001). High perceived stress was associated with both higher PSQI scores and lower cognitive performance. Regression analysis confirmed that both sleep quality (β = -0.48) and stress (β = -0.35) independently predicted cognitive decline.

Conclusion: Poor sleep quality and elevated academic stress independently and significantly impair cognitive functioning in university students. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions promoting sleep hygiene and stress management within academic institutions.