THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Many studies in the past have shown that sleep deprivation does correlate with poor
academic performance because of lower abilities in cognition as a result of poor sleep quality
(How Much Sleep is Enough, 2012). Sleep is one of the basic needs of a person that plays an
important role in a human beings health. It is very crucial and it is a necessity for human
survival. It is important in terms of physical, intellectual and emotional health. Sleep is critical
for learning, decision making, critical thinking and memory consolidation (Gilbert & Weaver,
2010). Therefore, sleep deprivation must be conquered so that our nervous system will function
properly. Unfortunately, not everyone receives adequate amounts of sleep. Not getting enough
sleep may lead to depression, drowsiness, poor dieting, inability to concentrate, anxiety, thoughts
of suicide or even suicide attempts. For students, it can result to lack of alertness and motivation
as well as poor academic performance in school. Most of the students suffered from sleep
deprivation.

According to Uppsala University, students who are likely experience sleep deprivation
are less likely to excel in academics. Researchers have found out that those students who are
suffering from short sleep duration (less than 7 hours per day) would have a higher risk of failure
in school. If an individual has poor sleeping habits paired with sleep loss, the tendency is that it
can have a negative impact on ones health. According to (DeNoon, 2000), A sleepy person's
brain works harder-and accomplishes less. The lack of an adequate amount of sleep has been
shown to have many effects of an individual namely poor alertness and cognitive performance,
paying attention, logical reasoning and working memory. All of these suggest in a decrease of
brain activity and its function.

Globally, According to a 2006 National Sleep Foundation poll, the organizations most
recent survey of teen sleep, more than 87% of high school students in the United States get far
less than the recommended eight to 10 hours, and the amount of time they sleep is decreasing
a serious threat to their health, safety and academic success. Sleep deprivation increases the
likelihood teens will suffer myriad negative consequences, including an inability to concentrate,
poor grades, drowsy-driving incidents, anxiety, depression, thoughts of suicide and even suicide
attempts. Its a problem that knows no economic boundaries. Todays teens are maturing in an
era of using electronic media, and they are fervent participants. Some 92% of U.S. teens have
smartphones, and 24% report being online constantly, according to a 2015 report by the Pew
Research Center, teens have access to multiple electronic devices they use simultaneously, often
at night. Some 72% bring cellphones into their bedrooms and use them when they are trying to
go to sleep, and 28% leave their phones on while sleeping, only to be awakened at night by texts,
calls or emails, according to a 2011 National Sleep Foundation poll on electronic use. In
addition, some 64% use electronic music devices, 60% use laptops and 23% play video games in
the hour before they went to sleep, the poll found. More than half reported texting in the hour
before they went to sleep, and these media fans were less likely to report getting a good nights
sleep and feeling refreshed in the morning. They were also more likely to drive when drowsy, the
poll found.

Nationally,
Statement of the Problem

This study aimed to assess the effect of sleep deprivation on students at different
academic performance and investigate the causes of sleep deprivation and the problems related
to it. This study also provides the importance of sleep and effects on the physical, cognitive and
behavioural elements of not having regular sleep.

Research Questions:

1. What are the factors of being sleep deprived that can affect a students academic
performance?

2. Approximately how many how many hours of sleep does a student need?

3. Is there a significant relationship between sleep deprivation and academic performance of

students in the University Of Mindanao?

Hypothesis
The study tested null hypothesis and the result is that there is no significant relationship
between sleep deprivation and academic performance of students.

Review of Related Literature

 Over time, lack of sleep and sleep disorders can contribute to the symptoms of
depression. The most common sleep disorder, insomnia, has the strongest link to depression. In
fact, insomnia is often one of the first symptoms of depression. Insomnia and depression are
related to each other. Sleep loss often aggravates the symptoms of depression, and depression
can make it more difficult to sleep (James Beckerman 2014). In addition, insomnia can
undermine school and work performance for students, depression, anxiety, concentration
problems, memory problems and poor reaction time (Nuutinen, Ray and Roos 2013).

Lack of sleep is caused by a condition called sleep deprivation. (Epstein; Gibson, Powles,
and Thabane 116), this experience can cause a persons weight change, clumsiness, fatigue,
social changes, and daytime sleepiness. (Giannotti et al. 2002) propose health concerns that can
present in sleep-deprived students, which include depression, fatigue, and difficulties with
attention, concentration and decision making. Also, sleep deprivation can cause health problems
by increasing stress and obesity (Black 35; Epstein; Noland 224). The amount of sleep of a
teenager is approximately nine hours a day (Noland 225; Epstein; School of Public Health 18).
Sleep deprivation may experience if a teenager sleeps less than nine hours a day (Bergin 45;
School of Public Health 18). Therefore, sleep deprivation can affect a students academic,
behaviour, or physical ability (Bergin 45; Black 34; Gibson, Powles, and Thabane 116; School of
Public Health 19). Hence, sleep deprivation could cause a students grades drop (Black 35;
Epstein; Noland 22). There is a connection between quality of sleep and students academic
performance learning, and facilitating memories (Giannoti et al. 2006), (Chen et al. 2014), and
(Hershner and Chervin 2014).

Orzech et al. 2011 discusses that sleep deprivation results to decrease in attention and
concentration, which brings negative impacts in terms of memory recall and learning of the
students. Many different variables can distract the students sleep environment, such as lighting
or noise in the surroundings which may have an effect on the quality of sleep of a student (Chen
et al. 2014). The sleep duration the student is able to obtain determines the amount of rapid eye
movement (REM) sleep cycles, memory consolidation and learning the student receives
(Hershner and Chervin, 2014). (Brown et al. 2006) discuss how reversing the lack of knowledge
regarding behaviours and lifestyle choices that promote sleep is promising because the
distribution of the information can improve students sleeping habits. Similarly, (Hershner and
Chervin 2014) and (Brown et al. 2006) agree that there should be a sleep education program
implemented to all schools to improve hygiene and sleeping habits of students.
 Since the early twentieth century, the effects and causes of sleep deprivation have been
studied across the world. The beginning of modern sleep deprivation research began with the
French. The one who studied sleep deprivation from view based on physiological perspective is a
French scientist named Henri Pieron. After which, Nathaniel Kleitman studied sleep and the
effects of sleep deprivation and made many important discoveries including the landmark
discovery of rapid eye movement (REM) during sleep who is known as the Father of American
Sleep Research. His research was continued by his students and many others have branched of
what he found (Stanford University). Nowadays, the study of sleep deprivation has grown widely
(Black 36). Studies have taken place across the world studying students and sleep deprivation.
Sleep deprivation and the symptoms of it have been studied since the early nineteenth century,
but the most advance research is taking place in 21st century which is the modern era.

More importantly, people of all ages, even children, are at risk of becoming sleep
deprived. Specifically, individuals who have limited time for sleep, such as students and people
who work a lot of hours. Also, those who have schedules that conflict on their time may result to
unorganized schedules, such as: shift workers and individuals who travel for work. Other
individuals that could be included would be those whose lifestyle choices do not allow them to
receive adequate amounts of sleep such as; individuals who take medication to stay awake, those
who abuse alcohol and or drugs, or those who dont place sleep high on their priority list.
Individuals who suffer from various medical conditions such as heart failure, heart disease,
obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke and depression can all suffer from sleep deprivation
(Who is at Risk, 2014).

Many people fail to maintain a proper sleep schedule, yet sleep is one of the most
important aspects of mankinds everyday life. There are several important aspects to maintaining
an adequate amount of sleep. These would include: committing new information to memory,
maintaining normal body processes such as proper carbohydrate storage and maintaining proper
hormone levels, reduced tendency for day time sleepiness, reducing human errors such as
medical mistakes and traffic accidents, reduction in irritability and patience, improves
concentration and reduces moodiness and laziness. Sleep disorders have been linked with
hypertension, irregular heartbeat, and increased cortisol levels, while an adequate amount of
sleep assists in maintaining proper immune system function (Benefits of Sleep, 2015).
 Just like other problems that humanity encounters, there isnt a single cause for sleep
deprivation. If a person suffers from a sleep disorder, it is very likely that the individual will
become sleep deprived. The issue is determining which disorder the person suffers from so that
help can be sought after to assist in receiving enough sleep. Majority of the people have been
known to suffer from insomnia, narcolepsy, sleep walking, and sleep apnea. These are just a few
examples of the many disorders that individuals can suffer from (Murphy, & Delanty, 2007).

Along with officially diagnosable sleep disorders, it has been observed through careful
studies such as Hershner and Chervins Causes and Consequences of Sleepiness Among College
Students that schedules set by colleges and public schools are partially responsible for students
being experienced with sleep deprivation. With class times being set early in the morning and
late in the evening as well as work-loads being increased outside of the class room, individuals
circadian rhythms can become irregular, causing them to have an inadequate sleep cycle
(Hershner, & Chervin, 2014).

The third major factor that can lead to an insufficient amount of sleep is when an
individual makes personal and professional commitments beyond that of what is reasonably
accomplished. Different careers can lead individuals to go extended periods of time without
adequate amounts of sleep each night. For example, medical professionals and shift workers.
When said individuals do finally have the opportunity to go home and rest, they still have to deal
with the demands of their socio-economic factors such as raising a family and environmental
noise pollution (Murphy, & Delanty, 2007).

By failing to obtain an efficient amount of sleep each night, there is an increased

possibility of there being one or more negative effects on the individuals cognitive capabilities.
The actual ability to store information is not completely hindered when a person is suffering
from total sleep deprivation. However, when a person is suffering from a lack of sleep, they may
tend to lose the ability to filter information, Therefore, storing more irrelevant information into
their working memory, leaving less room for that which is relevant, making it appear that the
memory itself is being hindered. This was clearly observed through the empirical research study
which is entitled: The Effects of Two Types of Sleep Deprivation on Visual Working Memory
Capacity and Filtering Efficiency, which was conducted by researchers Drummond, Anderson,
Straus, Vogel, and Perez (Drummond, Anderson, Straus, Vogel, and Perez, 2012).
 Sleep loss has been shown to be inversely proportional to academic performance. When
one fails to receive an adequate amount of sleep on a nightly basis, the tendency is that an
individuals skills in learning capacity, such as memory, attention and problem solving skills are
affected the most. Sleep deprivation can also lead to daytime sleepiness. When these factors are
all being faced by the students, they are likely to achieve lower test scores and lower grade
averages. However, it has been shown that cognitive function is not hindered as intensely when
the individuals are working in groups as when working alone (Chiang, Arendt, Zheng, &
Hanisch, 2014).

An individuals physical and mental health and abilities have been shown to have direct
correlation with sleep deprivation. Research has been shown that all people who suffer from
sleep deprivation, are more likely to have issues with their cognitive abilities, such as memory
and problem solving skills when the individual also suffers from hypertension, but the
relationship does not end there (Decreased Cognitive/CNS Function in Young Adults at Risk for
Hypertension). Individuals who do not have hypertension are more likely to develop this issue
when constantly depriving themselves of sleep (McCubbin, Peach, Moore, & Pilcher, 2012).

The brain is most effectively influenced by the different chemicals that are naturally
released by the body, but it is very possible to disorient the brain by not releasing, or releasing
too much of, a certain chemical. The research study of Neurophysiological Effects of Sleep
Deprivation in Healthy Adults, has shown that people suffering from total sleep deprivation have
an increase in dopamine output and a decrease in cortisol, therefore, by requiring an increase in a
combined effort of production from the prefrontal and limbic cortical regions. Despite the
increase of activity in the brain, individuals still suffer from decreased cognitive performance
(Klumpers, Veltman, van Tol, Kloet, Boellaard, Lammerrtsma, & Hoodendijk, 2015).

There are multiple ways in which individuals can work to overcome their sleep
deprivation and return to functioning at an appropriate efficiency. Insomnia has been shown to
be a lead cause in sleep deprivation, causing individuals to awake at night, unable to sleep, or
constantly waking throughout the night. There are multiple treatments that have been tested and
one of these seems to stand out. With all the different drugs being used to treat with sleep,
acupuncture is actually proving to be an effective treatment and more research is going into
discovering the true potential of this treatment (Yuan-Fang, Jian-Hua, Neng-Gui, Zhao-Hui,
Zhen-Hua, Shu-Jun, & Wen-Bin, 2013).

Another treatment in the fight against sleep deprivation is natural sleep aids. It is amusing
on how many natural aids there are, most of which come from leaves, roots and tree bark. Some
of these aids include: kava-kava, which is an herbal remedy that relaxes the body and enhances
dreaming; valerian root, which eases nerve and muscle tension as well as relieves anxiety and
chamomile; which is a flower that is most often drunk as a tea, aids in reducing restlessness and
digestion. There are plenty of natural solutions that help with releasing Melatonin and
Tryptophan, which are natural chemicals in the body that aid in healthy sleep (Kopparapu,
Puranik, Nargund, Samuel, Shahapurkar, & Mathew, 2012).
Theoretical Framework

People claim to understand that sleep is an important aspect of their lives, yet they prove
their ignorance by refusing to get sleep, even when they are tired, because they want to get a
little more work to accomplish. Studies have determined that total sleep deprivation negatively
effects an individuals filtering capabilities. Though their visual working memory capacity is left
unhindered, if one cannot filter out the information being taken in, they cannot store anything in
their memory (Drummond, Anderson, Straus, Vogel, & Perez, 2012).

Many people tend to allow themselves to be sleep deprived throughout the week because
they tend to believe they can make up for the sleep on the weekend when they get a break from
the work or school week. However, during the period of sleep deprivation, their ability to
complete tasks will be hindered, causing a decrease in the quality of work primarily due to a
reduction in attention, memory, and problem solving tasks (Chiang, Arendt, Zheng, & Hanisch,
2014).

As studies have been conducted, the majority have seemed to come to similar
conclusions: a lack of sleep can have negative side effects on the human mind and body, and by
regularly obtaining enough sleep each night, a person can function more efficiently. As a person
becomes more sleep deprived, their attention span shortens and their working memory begins to
weaken (McCubbin, Peach, Moore, & Pilcher, 2012).

Especially during the time of midterm and final exams, and when project deadlines loom
overhead, a common behavioural pattern becomes apparent in most, if not all, students. Sleep is
sacrificed in order to allow them to continue their work or studying, attempting to finish their
work on time or memorize everything they need to in order to secure a good grade. However, if
the past studies and the results are accurate, these students could be setting themselves up for
failure, or at least keeping themselves from achieving the highest grade possible, while
simultaneously negatively affecting their health.
 In all actuality, when otherwise healthy students deprive themselves of sleep, there is an
alteration in the neurophysiological and endocrine systems, rendering all learned and practiced
events during the period of sleep deprivation moot. It can be determined that this is likely due to
a decrease in vigilance and maintained attention (Klumpers, Veltman, van Tol, Kloet, Boellaard,
Lammertsma, & Hoogendijk, 2015).

Significance of Study

This study is most likely beneficial to the following:

Students - The results of the study may be helpful to the students to be aware how
important sleep is.

Teachers - The findings of the study

Conceptual Framework

Independent Variable Dependent Variable

Sleep Deprivation
Insomnia

Depression
Academic Performance

Sleep Apnea

Difficulties of
Concentration
Definition of Terms

Sleep - is a biological imperative critical to the maintenance of mental and physical

health. It is a state of lessened consciousness and decreased physical activity during which the
organism slows down and repairs itself. (Hobson, J. Allan. Dreaming: An Introduction to the
Science of Sleep Oxford: Oxford University Press of 2002).

Sleep Deprivation