Sleep Quality and Mental Well-Being Among Malaysian University Students
Abstract
Sleep quality is increasingly recognized as a critical determinant of holistic psychological well-being, particularly among university students navigating complex academic, social, and lifestyle stressors. Moving beyond traditional clinical pathology frameworks, this study examines sleep as a foundational resource for mental resilience. Specifically, this research aimed to assess sleep quality and mental health levels among Malaysian university students, examine the correlation between these variables, and compare mental health outcomes between good and poor sleepers. Utilizing a quantitative cross-sectional design, data were gathered from 270 undergraduate students across Malaysian universities using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21). Data analysis was executed via descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and independent samples t-tests. The descriptive results revealed that the majority of respondents maintained good sleep quality. However, inferential analyses demonstrated significant, strong negative correlations between sleep quality and depression (r = -0.676, p < .001), anxiety (r = -0.444, p < .001), and stress (r = -0.500, p < .001). Furthermore, independent samples t-tests indicated that students with poor sleep quality exhibited significantly elevated levels of depression, anxiety, and stress compared to their good-sleeping peers (p < .001). These findings highlight that institutionalizing sleep hygiene initiatives is vital to fostering student resilience and psychological flourishing within higher education ecosystems.
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