Ghazala Usman, Kiran Abbas, Misbah Zaheer, Tahir Mustansir Kaghazwala, Ashba Mushtaque, Rehan Alamgir.
Patterns of Sleep and the Metabolic and Neurobehavioral Effects of Sleep Deprivation Reported by Medical Students.
Ann Jinnah Sindh Med Uni Jan ;3(2):75-9.

Objectives: To determine the pattern of sleep among medical university students and to identify the medical university students? perceptions of the effects of sleep deprivation on their metabolism and daily performance Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess sleep duration, and its perceived metabolic and neurobehavioural effects on body using a self-reported sleep questionnaire. Sample was calculated to be 270. The students were inquired about their sleep habits, studies duration, routine before going to bed, caffeine intake, and routine during examinations. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 21. Results: Our study reported that out of 270 participants, 96% (n=259) of individuals self-reported sleeping less than 7 hours per night and 13.7%( n=37) were found to be overweight. Furthermore, 81.6% (n=220) of individuals took at least one serving of caffeine daily, and 40% of students used internet for more than 5 hours which also had an additional effect on short sleep duration. Conclusion: Many studies have shown that the direct effects of sleep deprivation are fatigue, irritability, and altered neurocognitive function. In our study, about 81.6% of students reported sleeping for even less than 6 hours and reported experiencing sleepiness, loss of interest in work, and weight changes after admission into the university. However, we could not find any remarkable weight changes. Therefore, it suggests that majority of medical university students studied in Karachi suffered from sleep deprivation and its after effects.

PakMediNet -Pakistan's largest Database of Pakistani Medical Journals - http://www.pakmedinet.com