The Effects of Sleep Deprivation on the Academic Performance of Students

Anna Carmela T. Nuñez

Grade 12 STEM Blaise Pascal
Research Title

The Effects of Sleep Deprivation on the Academic Performance of Students

Statement of the Problem

Sleep deprivation is slowly becoming more prevalent to students, this is because of

the need to finish loads of school works that are needed to be passed before their

respective deadlines. Due to this, students are putting not only their health at risk but also

their mental capacity, where in studies have claimed that sleep deprivation negatively

affects how a student perform academically. Hence, this study is conducted to know of

the effects of sleep deprivation to a student’s academic performance and seeks to

answer the following questions:

1. What are the factors that drive a student to be sleep deprived?

2. How does sleep deprivation affect the academic performance of students?

3. Does the academic performance of sleep deprived students differ from those

who are not sleep deprived?

 The Effects of Sleep Deprivation on the Academic Performance of Students
Anna Carmela T. Nuñez
Grade 12 STEM Blaise Pascal

The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)

Instructions: The following questions relate to your usual sleep habits during the
past month only. Your answers should indicate the most accurate reply for the
majority of days and nights in the past month. Please answer all questions.

During the past month,

1. When have you usually gone to bed? _____________________________________

2. How long (in minutes) has it taken you to fall asleep each night? ____________
3. When have you usually gotten up in the morning? __________________________
4. How many hours of actual sleep do you get at night? _______________________
(This may be different than the number of hours you spend in bed)

Instructions: For each of the remaining questions, check the one the best
corresponds with your answer. Please answer all questions.

Not Less Three or

Once or
during than more
5. During the past month, how often have twice a
the past once a times a
you had trouble sleeping because you… week
month week week (3)
(2)
(0) (1)
a. Cannot get to sleep within 30 minutes
b. Wake up in the middle of the night or
early morning
c. Have to get up to use the bathroom

d. Cannot breathe comfortably

e. Cough or snore loudly

f. Feel too cold

g. Feel too hot

h. Have bad dreams

i. Have pain
j. Other reason(s), please describe,
including how often you have had
trouble sleeping because of this
reason(s):
________________________
 The Effects of Sleep Deprivation on the Academic Performance of Students
Anna Carmela T. Nuñez
Grade 12 STEM Blaise Pascal
6. During the past month, how often have
you taken medicine (prescribed or “over
the counter”) to help you sleep?
7. During the past month, how often have
you had trouble staying awake while
driving, eating meals, or engaging in
social activity?
8. During the past month, how much of a
problem has it been for you to keep up
enthusiasm to get things done?
Fairly Very
Very Fairly
good bad (3)
good (0) bad (2)
(1)
9. During the past month, how would you
rate your sleep quality overall?
Three or
Not Less
Once or more
If you have a roommate or bed partner, ask him during than
twice a times a
or her how often in the past month have you had: the past once a
week week
month week

a. Loud snoring

b. Long pauses between breaths while sleep

c. Legs twitching or jerking while you sleep

d. Episodes of disorientation or confusion
during sleep
e. Other restlessness while you sleep; please
describe:
____________________________

Adapted from the University of Pittsburgh, Sleep Medicine Institute, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index
(PSQI) website http://www.sleep.pitt.edu/content.asp?id=1484&subid=2316