Background: Numerous studies have shown that change in regular sleep-wake pattern, poor sleep quality and sleep disruption may lead to physical and psychological problems such as disturbance in academic and job performance, reduced work efficiency and learning disabilities.

Objectives: To assess sleep hygiene practices and sleep quality among female medical students and health sciences students, Albaha University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Subjects and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Al-Baha region, south west of Saudi Arabia  among a sample of students enrolled in the colleges of medicine and Medical Sciences with its four branches throughout the academic year and internship 2020-2021. The data were collected by a self-administered online questionnaire composed of 3 main sections: personal characteristic of the participants, Pittsburg Quality of Sleep Index (PQSI): to assess the quality of sleep during the past month, the Sleep Hygiene Index (SHI) to assess behaviors that compromise sleep hygiene.

Results: A total sample of 250 female students completed the study questionnaire whose ages ranged from 18 to 26 years old with mean age of 20.8 ± 1.9 years. Most participants were from college of medicine (28.4%), college of laboratory (28.4%), and college of public health (18%) while 14% were from college of nursing. Totally, PSQI score ranged from 3 to 16 points out of 21 points (76%) as only 16% of the females were classified as good sleepers. Overall, the females score of Sleep Hygiene Index ranged from 8-52 with mean score of 27.1 out of 52 (52.1%). Regarding student’s daytime sleepiness, totally, students total score ranged from 0 to 22 out of 24 points with mean score of 8.1 (33.8%) and 36.4% of the female students had significant daytime sleepiness. There was a significant intermediate positive correlation between females sleep quality (PSQI) score and sleep hygiene index score (r=.37) and significant positive intermediate correlation with ESS scores (r=.26). Also, Females sleep hygiene index score showed significantly intermediate correlation with daytime sleepiness (r=34).

Conclusion: Only minority of females medical students and were classified as good sleepers with moderate level of sleep hygiene.

Keywords: Pittsburg Quality of Sleep Index, Sleep Hygiene Index, daytime sleepiness, females. Medical students, Saudi Arabia.