SLEEP QUALITY, ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AND ANXIETY AMONG UNIVERSITY HOSTELITES AND NON-HOSTELITES STUDENTS

Background: Sleep quality is a critical determinant of students' psychological well-being and academic success. Poor sleep not only impairs memory and concentration but also contributes to heightened anxiety, which can further disrupt academic performance. In developing countries like Pakistan, university students—particularly those residing in hostels—face unique environmental and psychological stressors that can adversely impact sleep and mental health. However, limited research has addressed this triadic relationship within the regional academic context. Objective: This study aimed to examine the relationship between sleep quality, academic performance, and anxiety levels among hostelite and non-hostelite university students in Punjab, Pakistan. Methods: Using a purposive random sampling technique, data were collected from 310 university students (155 males and 155 females), aged 19–40 years (M = 2.01, SD = 0.60). Participants completed a demographic form, the Sleep Quality Scale (SQS), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and the Academic Performance Scale (APS). Data were analyzed using Pearson product-moment correlation, linear regression, and independent samples t-tests. Results: A moderate negative correlation was observed between sleep quality and academic performance (r = -0.37, p < .01). Academic performance was also inversely correlated with anxiety (r = -0.19, p < .01). A strong positive correlation was found between poor sleep quality and anxiety (r = 0.83, p < .001). Hostelites reported better sleep quality (M = 77.80, SD = 8.17) than non-hostelites (M = 39.80, SD = 12.83), t(309) = -7.74, p < .001, but performed worse academically (M = 26.60, SD = 5.15) than non-hostelites (M = 29.00, SD = 4.60), t(309) = -2.89, p < .01. Conclusion: The findings emphasize that poor sleep and elevated anxiety significantly affect academic performance. Institutional interventions promoting mental health and sleep hygiene could benefit university students, particularly hostel residents.