Association between Diet, Sleep Pattern, and Menstrual Cycle among Female Medical Students

Abstract

Background: Female medical students are exposed to high academic stress, irregular sleep, and variable dietary habits, which may affect hormonal balance and menstrual health. This study examines the relationship between diet, sleep patterns, and menstrual cycle characteristics in this population. Aims: The present study reveals the interconnectedness between diet, sleep pattern and menstrual cycle among female medical students Study Design:  A simple cross-sectional study using a structured questionnaire regarding demographic information, diets, sleep pattern, menstrual cycle and also the history of initial menarche. Place and Duration of Study: Study conducted in the Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Kristen Indonesia, Jakarta-Indonesia. from October 2025 until April 2026. Methodology: Using simple random sampling methods, sampling technique will be related to the determination of the number of sample using the Slovin formula to estimate population proportion, where population size=112 and acceptable margin error (e)= 5% and the number of respondents using Slovin's formula is calculated as 87.5, rounded into 88.  All data obtained from electronic structured questionnaire consist of demographic, diet pattern, sleep pattern and menstrual cycle pattern. All instrument has been tested for validity and reliability. Electronic data then collected and analyzed further using Chi-square (p= 0.05). Results: Most respondents had good diets, good sleep patterns, and regular menstrual cycles. Bivariate analysis showed no association between age at menarche and menstrual cycle (p=0.250), diet and menstrual cycle (p=0.391), or sleep patterns and menstrual cycle (p=0.391). Conclusion: Age of menarche, diet, and sleep patterns are not related to the menstrual cycle, so other factors likely play a greater role in influencing the menstrual cycle.