Purpose: Sleep is crucial for cognitive functioning and memory consolidation. Existing literature shows a strong association between sleep deprivation and poor academic performance and a substantial increase in research publications in recent years. This manuscript identifies top contributors, key research themes, and emerging trends, and predicts future research directions. Design/methodology/approach: A literature search with SCOPUS was performed to identify articles on the impact of sleep on student's academic performance from inception to July 2024. Extracted articles were screened based on pre-defined inclusion criteria and subjected to bibliometric analysis using Microsoft Excel, VOSviewer, and CiteSpace. Findings: The United States emerged as a leading contributor, with Mari Hysing from the University of Bergen, Norway, as a key author. Arizona State University was the top institution, and Chronobiology International had the most publications. Focused areas were sleep efficiency, bedtime, physiological stress, pandemic, and anxiety, highlighting the importance of optimal sleep and sleep-wake patterns. Research limitations/implications: This study explores evolving trends, key contributors, and research hotspots in sleep and academic performance. It maps knowledge structure, identifies gaps, and provides future research directions, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and guiding evidence-based studies. Practical implications: The findings inform educators, policymakers, and healthcare professionals about the significance of sleep in academic success, and aid in developing targeted interventions, and policies that enhance student well-being and academic performance. Originality/value: The rapid expansion of publications makes it challenging to analyze and extract key information. This study systematically examines publication trends and presents a focused overview to guide future research.