Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 19, 2026
Collecting Sleep, Circadian, Fatigue, and Performance Data in Complex Operational Environments
Published on: August 8, 2019
Life Log: A Pilot Study Exploring The Relationship of Hourly Time Expenditure on Medical Student Happiness
Matthew Garr1, Alexander Requarth1, Zane Kaiser1
1School of Medicine, Department of Medical Education, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, USA.
Background:
Medical students face intense academic demands that often compromise well-being and increase burnout. Understanding the relationship between time allocation, happiness, and academic performance can inform strategies to improve medical student wellness.
Methods:
This prospective study enrolled 26% (n = 49) of the second-year medical students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill from September to December 2023. Participants logged their hourly activities into 29 predefined categories (e.g., sleep, exercise, studying, socializing, etc.…) and rated their happiness (1-100, where 1 = lowest, 100 = highest) at the end of each day. Demographics and examination schedules were collected. Data were analyzed using SAS to determine correlations between time expenditure, happiness, and curriculum structure.
Results:
Multiple daily activities significantly correlated with happiness. At least one hour of exercise (76.08 vs. 74.49, p = 0.0055), family time (77.48 vs. 74.49, p < 0.0001), or socializing at home (76.54 vs. 74.32, p = 0.0001) correlated positively with higher happiness scores. Conversely, spending at least one hour studying (74.74 vs. 76.64, p = 0.0045), research (73.24 vs. 75.40, p = 0.0297), or TV/video games (74.54 vs. 76.97, p = 0.0002) were associated with decreased happiness. Test weeks showed significantly lower happiness ratings (73.9 ± 1.44) compared to non-test weeks (76.0 ± 1.35, p = 0.0138). Midterms and finals did not significantly impact end-of-day happiness, though slight decreases were noted before exams.
Conclusions:
This study highlights the critical role of exercise, family time, and socializing in promoting happiness among medical students, while increasing academic workload detracts from well-being. The findings underscore the need for institutional interventions, including structured mental health days, curriculum adjustments, and wellness initiatives, to balance academic success and student happiness. Future studies should further explore these relationships to guide sustainable reforms in medical education.
