Insomnia in medical students during an examination period: associations with depression, dysfunctional sleep beliefs, and academic performance

Background

Insomnia is common among medical students and is linked to impaired mental health and academic functioning. Medical students are exposed to persistent psychosocial stress, yet the extent to which state factors (e.g., stress, mood) versus trait factors (e.g., chronotype, sleep beliefs) contribute to insomnia severity is unclear. While dysfunctional sleep beliefs are relatively stable cognitive traits, they remain amenable to targeted interventions.