The Prevalence of Sleep Disturbances and Mental Distress among Physiotherapy Students
Nagina Nikath M
, Rehnuma Suhan , A. K. Vijay Krishna Kumar
Sleep quality; Sleep disturbances; Anxiety; Depression; Physiotherapy students; Mental health.
Background: Sleep is crucial for physical recovery, cognitive function, and psychological well-being. Sleep disturbances are increasingly common among university students, especially in health-related disciplines. Academic workload, irregular schedules, clinical demands, and digital device use may predispose physiotherapy students to poor sleep and psychological distress. However, limited research has been conducted on this issue in India.
Objective: To assess the prevalence of sleep disturbances, anxiety, and depression among physiotherapy students.
Methodology: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 120 physiotherapy students at Dr. B. R. Ambedkar College of Physiotherapy, Bangalore. Data were collected through an online questionnaire that included demographic details and validated tools: the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Anxiety Symptoms Questionnaire (ASQ), and Beck Depression Inventory-I (BDI-I). Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 23.0. Descriptive statistics summarized prevalence, and Chi-square tests assessed associations (p < 0.05).
Results: The mean age of participants was 20.7 ± 1.5 years; 80.8% were female. Poor sleep quality (PSQI > 5) was reported by 66.7% of students. Anxiety symptoms were present in 41.7% (23.3% mild, 12.5% moderate, and 5.8% severe). Depressive symptoms were prevalent, with 93.3% reporting minimal to severe levels, including 24.2% severe cases. Poor sleepers showed higher rates of anxiety and depression; however, the associations were not statistically significant (p = 0.072 for anxiety; p = 0.659 for depression), suggesting these differences may have occurred by chance.
Conclusion: Sleep disturbances, anxiety, and depression were highly prevalent among physiotherapy students. Although the associations did not reach statistical significance, the observed trends suggest a potential clinical link. Early screening, sleep hygiene education, and institutional support may help safeguard students’ mental health and academic performance.
"The Prevalence of Sleep Disturbances and Mental Distress among Physiotherapy Students ", IJSDR - International Journal of Scientific Development and Research (www.IJSDR.org), ISSN:2455-2631, Vol.11, Issue 1, page no.b1-b16, January-2026, Available :https://ijsdr.org/papers/IJSDR2601101.pdf
Volume 11
Issue 1,
January-2026
Pages : b1-b16
Paper Reg. ID: IJSDR_306882
Published Paper Id: IJSDR2601101
Downloads: 000238
Research Area: Humanities All
Country: Bangalore , Karnataka , India
ISSN: 2455-2631 | IMPACT FACTOR: 9.15 Calculated By Google Scholar | ESTD YEAR: 2016
An International Scholarly Open Access Journal, Peer-Reviewed, Refereed Journal Impact Factor 9.15 Calculate by Google Scholar and Semantic Scholar | AI-Powered Research Tool, Multidisciplinary, Monthly, Multilanguage Journal Indexing in All Major Database & Metadata, Citation Generator
Publisher: IJSDR(IJ Publication) Janvi Wave
