Sleep habits of students on the Dental Medicine course at thePolytechnic Higher Institute of Angola

Abstract

Sleep has important biological functions for the human organism, with emphasis on memory consolidation, thermoregulation and restoration of cerebral energy metabolism. The aim of the research is to identify the association between the nocturnal sleep habits in students of the Dental Medicine course of the ISIA. As for the methodology used, this is a descriptive, observational, prospective research with a qualitative and quantitative approach, with random sampling and participant observation. In terms of methodology, a sample of 126 students was selected, 77 (61%) of whom were female, with a mean age of 22.3 years. With the application of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), it was found that a large portion of respondents have an average time of 5.5 hours of sleep at night and a latency period of 15 minutes, 95(75.3%) have scores higher than 5 points and therefore considered bad sleepers, 87(69.04%) have the perception of having a bad sleep. With the application of the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), it was possible to verify that 23 (18.2%) of the students presented light daytime sleepiness. It is concluded that a large portion of the interviewees, as regards their sleeping habits, are considered bad sleepers. Finally, it is considered necessary to carry out other studies with other samples with similar characteristics to those studied in order to establish comparative studies and the evaluation of the trend of the problem.