Sleep Deprivation and Poor Academic Performance

The latest round of research being presented at SLEEP 2007, the 21st Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies (APSS) conference in Minneapolis provides proof of the relationship between sleep deprivation and poor academic performance.

In one study being presented today, researchers found that college students who pull “all-nighters” — a single night of total sleep deprivation — tend to have a lower grade point average than those who make time for sleep. [Source: College students who pull 'all-nighters' and get no sleep more likely to have a lower GPA]

A second study found that students pursuing degrees in medical and engineering related fields are more likely to be sleep deprived than their counterparts in the humanities. [Source: Students with medical-related majors more likely to have poor quality sleep]

Researchers in both studies concluded that sleepiness and poor quality sleep are the norm for most college students. In the case of the second study, however, it was found that “sleep deprivation was longer and frequency of sleep medication use was higher in STEM [statistics, technology, engineering, math and medical-related majors] compared to humanities,” according to study author Aryn Karpinski of West Virginia University.

(Note: This article adapted from press releases issued by EurekAlert!)

Image Credit: sxc.hu

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