STRESS LEVEL, SLEEP QUALITY, AND VITAL SIGNS AMONG FIRST-YEAR DENTAL STUDENTS

Abstract

Stress and sleep quality are very important factors in determining health. First-year dental students often experience stress and inadequate sleep due to changes in the campus environment and academic demands. Stress and sleep quality in students can affect academic performance and physical health. The body's vital signs are important indicators that show the body's basic functions and are used to identify health problems. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between stress levels and sleep quality on the body's vital signs (blood pressure, heart frequency and respiration rate). This research was conducted using a cross sectional method. The sample for this research was first year dental students at Universitas Jenderal Soedirman with a sample size of 50. Data was collected using observation sheets and questionnaires (PSS and PSQI). Data analysis was carried out using Spearman correlation. The results showed that the majority of students had normal vital signs but experienced moderate levels of stress and poor sleep quality. Stress and sleep quality had no relation on blood pressure, pulse frequency or respiration rate (p>0.05), but the majority of individuals who experienced pre-hypertension and tachycardia had moderate levels of stress and poor sleep quality. In addition, there is a significant relationship between stress levels and sleep quality (p<0.05). The conclusion of this study is that stress levels and sleep quality are not related to the body vital signs of first year dental students. However, there is a relationship between stress levels and sleep quality.