Prevalence of Insomnia and its Relationship with Psychosocial Factors among Medical Residents in Saudi Arabia

Medical residents often have irregular sleep patterns, which can hamper performance and quality of life. The prevalence of insomnia among medical residents in Saudi Arabia is not fully studied.

To determine the prevalence of insomnia and its correlation with symptoms of depression and anxiety among medical residents in Saudi Arabia.

This cross-sectional, online survey-based study included medical residents registered with the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties, and was conducted from January to March 2021. The Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) were used for data collection.

A total of 533 medical residents completed the questionnaire (mean age: 28.5 years; male: 52%). The prevalence of clinically significant insomnia among residents was 33% (ISI score ≥15); 74% had sleep disturbances (score ≥8). Further, 58% and 57% had anxiety and depression (GAD-7 score ≥10 and PHQ-9 score ≥10, respectively). Independent factors of insomnia were dissatisfaction with income (OR = 2.44, 95% CI: 1.39-4.27), obesity (OR = 4.44, 95% CI: 1.3-15.7), coffee consumption (>4 cups/day: OR = 13.74; 95% CI: 4.4-42.8), sleep-inducing medication use (OR = 2.40, 95% CI: 1.47-3.93), history of psychiatric illnesses (OR = 2.75, 95% CI: 1.54-4.94), depression (OR = 5.86, 95% CI: 3.1-11.3), and anxiety (OR = 3.34, 95% CI: 1.7-6.4). Clinically significant insomnia symptoms had a significant positive correlation with both depression (r = 0.462) and anxiety (r = 0.434) (for both, P = 0.0001).

Insomnia symptoms are common among medical residents in Saudi Arabia, significantly correlating with symptoms suggestive of depression and anxiety. This highlights the importance of support and early intervention, as well as the need for clear guidelines to improve sleep quality.