Psychological Intervention in the Executive Functioning and Academic Performance of Female University Students Aged 18 to 25 Residing in the Mexicali Valley With Insomnia

Sleep quality is a fundamental factor for the physical, emotional, and academic well-being of university students. Research indicates that this population presents high levels of sleep disturbances, particularly insomnia, fragmented sleep, and chronic sleep deprivation, which are associated with academic stress, workload, nighttime technology use, and irregular sleep habits. Globally, sleep disorders affect approximately 40% of the population, with insomnia being the most prevalent, affecting an estimated 10% to 15% of the general population.

Insomnia is characterized by dissatisfaction with sleep quantity and/or quality, difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep, early morning awakening with inability to return to sleep, and significant impairment in social, academic, or occupational functioning. For diagnosis, symptoms must occur at least three times per week for a minimum of three months, despite adequate opportunities for sleep. Importantly, insomnia is not defined solely by total sleep duration, but by the quality and restorative nature of sleep.

Scientific evidence reports significant sex differences in sleep patterns. Although adult women may show certain objective indicators of better sleep quality, they more frequently report symptoms of insomnia and daytime sleepiness. These differences are attributed to hormonal factors (menstruation, pregnancy, menopause), higher prevalence of mood disorders, psychosocial stressors, and greater vulnerability to environmental stress. In Mexico, women experience insomnia more frequently than men, making them a priority population for research.

Sleep plays an essential role in memory consolidation, learning, restorative processes, and information encoding. Chronic sleep deprivation can lead to impairments in attention, memory, cognitive flexibility, emotional regulation, and executive functioning. Among university students, insufficient sleep has been associated with lower grade point averages and reduced academic performance.

Executive functions are cognitive processes responsible for guiding, directing, and regulating goal-oriented behavior, particularly in novel or complex situations requiring problem-solving. These include working memory, inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility, and planning. A widely accepted framework distinguishes between "hot" executive functions, which involve emotion and motivation, and "cold" executive functions, which are related to purely cognitive processing. The literature indicates that insomnia particularly affects components of cold executive functions, such as working memory and cognitive flexibility.