Sleep Quality, Emotional Exhaustion, and Academic Performance in Health Sciences Students

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the association between sleep quality and academic performance in Health Sciences students, examining the mediating role of emotional fatigue in this relationship.

Materials and Methods: This is a quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional, and analytical-correlational study. A total of 286 students (149 women and 137 men) from the Health Sciences Division of the Autonomous University of the State of Quintana Roo participated, with an average age of 22.56 years (SD ± 1.72). The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the Emotional Fatigue Scale, and the College Academic Performance Scale were applied. Statistical analysis included Pearson correlations, ANOVA, and a structural equation model.

Results: 65.73% of the students reported sleeping between 4 and 6 hours per night. Poor sleep quality was positively and significantly associated with emotional fatigue (λ = 0.56), explaining 36.5% of its variability (R² = .365). Emotional exhaustion, in turn, was negatively related to academic performance (λ = -0.49), explaining 34.9% of its variance (R² = .349). The structural model showed an adequate fit (CFI = 0.97, RMSEA = 0.06).

Conclusions: Poor sleep quality increases emotional fatigue and reduces academic performance in university students. Emotional exhaustion acts as a mediating variable in this relationship. It is recommended to implement institutional strategies to promote healthy sleep habits and effective management of academic stress.

Keywords: Sleep quality; Academic performance; Emotional exhaustion; Students.