The Effects of Sleep on Academic Performance and Job Performance

The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of sleep on academic performance and job performance. A total of 172 undergraduate students completed an on-line questionnaire and their GPAs were obtained from the registrar's office. Data were analyzed using t-test, principal component analysis, and stepwise regression. The results were consistent with delayed sleep phrase syndrome, a common sleep problem in college students. Also, sleep latency and sleep medicine were negatively correlated with academic performance, and sleep quality was significantly associated with job performance. The knowledge of the impact of sleep is effective for educators and employers in helping students with sleep problems. Educators and employers need to be cognizant of the importance of sleep for students' success in their academic performance and job performance. Introduction Sleep is very important to a human being's health. Sleep loss not only makes people feel sleepy in the daytime, it is even a possible factor for Alzheimer's disease (Slats, Claassen, Verbeek, & Overeem, 2013). The effects of sleep manifest in both health and performance. The relationships between sleep and performance have been studied in many different fields including human science, medicine, psychology, education, and business. Sleep-related variables (e.g. sleep deficiency, sleep quality, sleep habits) have been shown to influence performance of students and workers (Lack, 1986; Mulgrew et al., 2007; National Sleep Foundation, 2008; Pilcher & Huffcutt, 1996; Rosekind et ah, 2010). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the effect of sleep on academic and job performance. Sleep and Health The history of sleep research can be traced back to the 19* century (Pelayo & Guilleminault, 2009). According to the National Sleep Foundation's Sleep in America Poll, U.S. adults sleep about seven hours every night, a decrease of approximately two hours per night since the 19th century (National Sleep Foundation, 2005). In 2008, the same organization found that Americans expected to average 7 hr 18 min of sleep per night, but they actually only slept an average of 6 hr 40 min (National Sleep Foundation, 2008). A common term for "loss of sleep" is "sleep deprivation. " Drummond and McKenna (2009) stated that "sleep deprivation in humans can be broadly classified into three categories: total sleep deprivation, partial sleep deprivation, and sleep fragmentation (p. 249). " In previous studies, sleep deprivation was measured by type: long-term total sleep deprivation (continually awake for more than 45 hours), short-term total sleep deprivation (continually awake for up to 45 hours), and partial sleep deprivation (sleeping less than 5 hours in a 24-hour period) (Pilcher & Fluffcutt, 1996). Rosen et al. (2006) investigated the association between sleep deprivation and mood disturbance, empathy, and burnout among 47 (80% response rate) interns in a medical residency program. The researchers found an increased prevalence of chronic sleep deprivation (9% to 43%), sleepiness (11% to 36%), moderate depression (4.3% to 29.8%), and burnout (4.3% to 55.3%) by the end of the internships. Simpson and Dinges (2007) reviewed a number of comprehensive studies that examined the effects of sleep loss on the human immune system. They found that the levels of important immune-related chemical substances in blood plasma were different at bedtime and wake-up time. These irregular changes in the immune system affected both behavioral functions (e.g., sleepiness, fatigue, and attention lapses) and physiological functions (e.g., inflammation). Lack of sleep has been linked to emotional and physical health effects including depression, burnout, obesity, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and even death (Rosen, Gimotty, Shea, & Bellini, 2006; Simpson & Dinges, 2007). Sleep and Work Shift work, also defined as working non-standard hours, has been shown to impact sleep and circadian rhythms (Wyatt, 2001). …