Sleep Wake Patterns and Academic Performance in University Students of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Purpose: University students have their day preferences (morningness or eveningness) and also different sleep patterns. The purpose of the current study was to assess the correlation between sleep, wake pattern and academic performance in Saudi university students.

Materials and Methods: The survey included 268 university students aged 18–25 years. Sleep-wake pattern was assessed using Sleep-Wake Pattern Assessment questionnaire. The domains measured were morning lateness (M), evening lateness (E), nighttime sleep ability (S), anytime sleep ability (F), and anytime wake ability (W).

Results: The majority of the students (82%) reported evening lateness. The strong negative correlation was observed between eveningness and academic performance (r=−0.7). Morningness and quality of nighttime sleep were positively correlated with academic grades (r=0.12; (r=0.18) and the other correlations between grades and ability to awake or fall asleep at unusual hours (scales W and F) did not gain significance (r=0.0). An independent t-test showed significant differences between male and female students in morningness scores while the other scales proved no significant deviation in relation to gender.

Conclusion: Our findings suggest that eveningness is more common among Saudi University students leading to inadequate academic functioning.

Zusammenfassung

Ziel: Studenten der Universität haben ihre Tageszeit-Vorlieben (Morningness oder Eveningness) und auch verschiedene Schlafmuster. Der Zweck der vorliegenden Studie war es, die Korrelation zwischen Schlaf- und Wach-Mustern und akademischer Leistung bei Studenten an Universitäten Saudi-Arabiens zu bewerten.

Materialien und Methoden: Die Umfrage umfasste 268 Studenten im Alter von 18 bis 25 Jahre. Schlaf- und Wachmuster wurden mit Fragebögen zum Schlaf- und Wachmuster erfasst. Die gemessenen Bereiche waren Morning Lateness (M), Evening Lateness (E), Nachtschlaf-Fähigkeit (S), jederzeitige Schlaffähigkeit (F) und jederzeitige Aufwachfähigkeit (W).

Ergebnisse: Die Mehrheit der Studenten (82%) berichten Evening Lateness. Die beobachtete starke negative Korrelation zwischen Eveningness und akademischen Leistungen (r=−0.7), Morningness und die Qualität des Nachtschlafs wurden positiv mit akademischen Benotungen korreliert (r=0.12; (r=0.18) und die anderen Korrelationen zwischen den Benotungen und der Fähigkeit, zu ungewöhnlichen Zeiten (Skalen W und F), aufzuwachen oder einzuschlafen, erreichten keine Signifikanz (r=0.0). Ein unabhängiger t-Test zeigte signifikante Unterschiede zwischen männlichen und weiblichen Studenten bei Morningness-Ergebnissen, während die anderen Skalen keine signifikante Abweichung in Bezug auf die Geschlechter aufwiesen.

Fazit: Unsere Ergebnisse deuten darauf hin, dass Eveningness bei den saudischen Universitätsstudenten häufiger zu einer unzureichenden akademischen Leistung führt.

Key words

sleep pattern - academic performance - evening lateness - morningness

Schlüsselwörter

Schlafmuster - Akademische Leistung - Evening Lateness - Morningness

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