Abstract

This study examined the relationship among sleep duration, academic stress, and social media engagement among rising student influencers at Bestlink College of the Philippines. Rising student influencers are students who actively manage an online presence while fulfilling academic responsibilities, which may expose them to heightened stress levels and disrupted sleep patterns. The study aimed to determine whether significant relationships exist among these variables and to provide a basis for developing student wellness and awareness programs. A descriptive–correlational research design was employed involving 57 rising student influencers with at least 5,000 followers across various social media platforms. Participants were selected through purposive and snowball sampling. Data were gathered using adapted standardized instruments, including the Academic Stress Scale (ASS), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the Social Media Use Integration Scale (SMUIS). Statistical analyses included frequency distribution, weighted mean, Spearman’s rho correlation, and Kruskal–Wallis tests. Results revealed that respondents generally experienced moderate to high academic stress, particularly due to heavy academic workloads and overlapping deadlines. Most participants reported insufficient and poor-quality sleep, with many sleeping only four to five hours per night and maintaining late and inconsistent bedtimes. Social media engagement levels were high, characterized by prolonged daily usage, frequent content creation, and active interaction with audiences. However, inferential analyses indicated no significant relationship between sleep duration and academic stress (p =.99), no significant relationship between sleep duration and social media engagement (p =.52), and a weak but non-significant relationship between academic stress and social media engagement (Rs =.24, p =.07). These findings suggest that although rising student influencers commonly experience high stress, inadequate sleep, and intensive social media engagement, these variables are not significantly related statistically. This implies that other factors such as coping strategies, time management skills, and individual resilience may play a more critical role in influencing students’ well-being. The study highlights the importance of awareness programs that promote healthy sleep practices, effective stress management, and responsible social media use.