STUDY OF ASSOCIATION OF SLEEP AND COGNITION IN HEALTHY YOUNG ADULTS: A CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY

Abstract

Background: Sleep plays an essential role in cognitive functioning, yet young adults commonly experience variable sleep patterns. Understanding how sleep quality and duration relate to cognition is important for early preventive strategies. Aim: To study the association between sleep parameters and cognition in young healthy adults. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 335 healthy adults aged 20–39 years. Sleep quality and duration were assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), cognitive performance was measured using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and depressive symptoms were screened using PHQ-9. Statistical analyses included chi-square tests, independent t-tests, and Pearson and Spearman correlations. Results: Good sleep was reported by 55.5% of participants, while 44.5% had poor sleep. Most participants showed normal cognition (82.1%), whereas 17.9% exhibited low cognition. Minimal to mild depression was common (68%). Poor global sleep quality was significantly associated with low cognition (χ² = 54.783, p < 0.0001). Several PSQI components—including sleep latency, sleep duration component, sleep efficiency, and sleep disturbances—also showed significant associations with MoCA categories (p < 0.05). Sleep duration did not differ between cognition groups (t = 0.419, p = 0.6762). Correlation analysis showed a modest negative correlation between PSQI score and MoCA performance (Pearson r = –0.225, p < 0.0001), whereas sleep duration demonstrated only a weak relationship with cognition. Conclusion: Sleep quality, rather than sleep duration, shows a stronger and more consistent association with cognitive performance in young healthy adults. Improving sleep quality may support better cognitive functioning in this population.