Sleep hygiene among veterinary medical students

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to better understand veterinary medical students’ sleep hygiene and identify the extent to which sleep hygiene behaviors may result in consequences (either positive or negative) for students. SAMPLE: A total of 187 doctor of veterinary medicine (DVM) program students at a large College of Veterinary Medicine in the United States. METHODS: The Epworth Sleep Scale and Daytime Sleepiness Scale were administered to 393 students enrolled in the DVM program. RESULTS: About 55.1% of students reported <7 h of sleep per night, 28.9% reported having trouble sleeping, and 50.3% reported feeling sleepy all day. With respect to sleep quality, 5.3% described it as excellent, 52.4% as good, 34.2% as fair, and 8.0% as poor. CONCLUSIONS: A significant percentage of veterinary medical students exhibit poor sleep hygiene habits that may be detrimental to both their health and academic endeavors.