HOW WOULD THE

INTRODUCTION OF A SIESTA
IMPACT SPORT, SLEEP,
PRODUCTIVITY AND OTHER
FACTORS OF AUSTRALIAN
CULTURE?

Bethany Rosenboom
SACE ID: 693546R

1
2

Introduction

Siestas are a short period in the afternoon when many countries encourage
napping before resuming activity in the late afternoon. It has been suggested
that such sleeping patterns are positive, as China Panel Family Studies
concluded that those who engage in siestas have a wage 3.03% higher than
their counterparts 1. However, siestas are not widely practiced and in some
samples, have been proven to be detrimental2. Researchers Valencia-Flores, et.
al. determined that siestas are not used by Mexican students to increase
productivity, stating, “Results indicated a number of parallels between the
reported sleep habits of these students and those reported from other cultures
at latitudes far to the north…3”, showing that siestas produce mixed, inconclusive
results, depending on culture.

This report analyses qualitative data collected about the potential introduction of
siestas in Australia. Subsequently, the research question is ‘How would the
introduction of a siesta impact sport, sleep, productivity and other factors of
Australian culture?’

The investigation’s variables were controlled where practicable, as the room,

groups and 45-minute time limit were kept constant. Furthermore, both groups
were given the same prompts, with an assigned scribe and facilitator ensuring
that data was collected methodically and ethically. Some extraneous variables
were present, however, as Group 1’s data collection occurred in the morning,
whereas Group 2 convened in the afternoon. As daytime sleepiness naturally
increases between 2:00pm and 4:00pm, a lack of focus or positive bias towards
siestas may have skewed Group 2’s answers, just as Group 1 may have been
biased against siestas due to their comparative alertness. Responses vary in
quality, relevance and length depending on individual understanding of
questions and interest in data collection. Similarly, recorded answers were
subject to the scribe’s bias, whose personal engagement with the data

1 Li, X., Shi, Y. and Wu, Y., 2021. The Economic Returns of Siesta: Evidence from China. [Online]. Available at:
https://ssrn.com/abstract=3974581 [Accessed 3 April 2022].
2 Valencia-Flores, M., Castano, V., Campos, R. and Rosenthal, L., 1998. The siesta culture concept is not

supported by the sleep habits of urban Mexican students. [Online]. 1-9. Available at:
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1046/j.1365-2869.1998.00087.x [Accessed 3 April 2022].
3 Valencia-Flores, M., Castano, V., Campos, R. and Rosenthal, L., 1998. The siesta culture concept is not

supported by the sleep habits of urban Mexican students. [Online]. 1-9. Available at:
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1046/j.1365-2869.1998.00087.x [Accessed 3 April 2022].

The perceived effects of siestas on Australian way of life

3

collection, interpretation of comments and capacity for direct transcription may

have posed extraneous variables.

Materials

Materials sourced and used for this investigation are:

• 4 x laptops
• 4 x prompting questions documents (see appendix A)
• 2 x private rooms for data collection
• 15 x chairs for each room

Method

1. 30 participants were selected through convenience sampling, and

gathered together to commence the informed consent session. During this
time, the invigilator informed recruits of the right to withdraw, their right to
confidentiality and the requirements and expectations of the investigation.
The invigilator also introduced and explained each of the prompting
questions to recruits to minimise confusion and invalid answers, and
allowed participants to ask questions about the investigation.
2. Participants were split into two focus groups depending on their exposure
to white noise whilst asleep, moved into private rooms and were supplied
with chairs.
3. A scribe and a facilitator were assigned from the group by the invigilator to
ensure that qualitative data provided was accurately recorded and that
conversations between participants remained relevant. The scribe and the
facilitator were then allowed access to a laptop and the prompting
questions document in order to begin the data collection.
4. The invigilator allowed each focus group 45 minutes to collect qualitative
data based on the prompting questions provided; direct supervision of the
focus groups by the invigilator did not occur to uphold the confidentiality
and minimise the observer bias of recruits. After the 45 minutes, the data
was saved and emailed to the invigilator.
5. Participants then re-convened with the invigilator, who debriefed them,
informing them of the intended use and confidentiality of the data
collected, their right to withdraw their data at any time and where the
investigation’s results and data will be accessible following its publication.
The invigilator also took the time to respond to any questions recruits had.

The perceived effects of siestas on Australian way of life

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6. The raw qualitative data from the investigation was collated with minimal
editing to avoid biased manipulation of data. The invigilator then made the
data available to participants, as according to ethical procedure.

Results
Table 1: Factor analysis of participants' responses to the hypothetical introduction of siestas in Australia

Themes Illustrative comments Number of responses

Affects sleep/wake “Wouldn’t work… 11 (27.5% of responses)
circadian rhythm wouldn’t be able to sleep
at 1 or 2”, “Some people
don’t want to nap at
those times…”
Affects work/school “People wouldn’t work 10 (25% of responses)
productivity as hard”, “Might make
for better concentration
and work”
Affects other factors “You would hit native 8 (20% of responses)
animals”, “More time at
home so improved or
worse[ned] family
relationship”
Affects economy “Get fewer open hours 6 (15% of responses)
for business (less money
coming into the
economy)”, “More night
life and open latter [sic]”
Affects fitness and “Trainings for sports 5 (12.5% of responses)
sporting commitments would be shifted”, “More
outside time [and]
exercise maybe”
Table 1 shows that 5 themes of the sleep/wake circadian rhythm, work/school
productivity, the economy, fitness and sporting commitments and other factors
can be extracted from data collection for the prompting question “What effects
would the introduction of this idea [siestas] to Australia have on our way of life?”.

The perceived effects of siestas on Australian way of life

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Discussion

Following content analysis of qualitative data, Table 1 shows five recurring

themes. Interestingly, the most frequently occurring answer was ‘affects sleep-
wake circadian rhythm’, with a frequency of 11 answers, suggesting that a
siesta’s effects on sleep is a primary concern for recruits. Illustrative comments
such as, “…you would go to bed later”, imply that participants believed a siesta
would affect their sleep onset time, possibly detracting from the quantity of sleep
received. The response “Some people don’t want to nap at those times”
supports this, indicating that many participants’ sleep-wake circadian rhythm
could not easily adapt to a siesta. All responses to this theme provided negative
impacts on the sleep-wake circadian rhythm, contributing to the consensus that
Australian siestas would be unsuccessful. Participants also cited ‘work/school
productivity’ as highly affected if a siesta was introduced at a frequency of 25%.
Notably, responses to this theme highlighted mixed opinions present within the
sample. This notion is supported by the illustrative comment, “It could make you
more productive at night”, showing that some participants considered an
afternoon siesta as a positive influence on work/school productivity. Other
participants perceived siestas as detrimental, implied through the illustrative
comment, “You’re going to get nothing done…”. It is evident that work/school
productivity was thought to be a greatly affected factor if an Australian siesta
was introduced, however participants provided neither affirmative nor negative
answers to the research question. Additionally, holding 20% of responses was
‘affects other factors’. There were several additional factors which were
sporadically mentioned, highlighted by illustrative comments such as “Less road
accidents because of less moving around” and “…improved or worse[ned] family
relationship”. The infrequency of such comments indicates a lack of
significance, despite their large collective percentage. Furthermore, ‘affects
other factors’ comprising a large percentage of responses shows a lack of
agreement and a divergence from the research question. Two other themes,
‘Affects economy’ and ‘Affects fitness and sporting commitments’ held a
percentage of responses, however the themes were not discussed frequently or
in enough detail to provide conclusive answers. Interestingly, the low number of
references to sporting commitments was unexpected, illustrating that the
research question, which included sport as an affected factor, was not well
supported in this instance. It is evident that, similarly to the research of China
Family Panel Studies and Valencia-Flores, et. al., opinions as to possible effects

The perceived effects of siestas on Australian way of life

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of siestas are inconclusive and highly dependent on culture, with results

showing unexpected and divided opinions within the sample.

Several extraneous variables lie within the investigation’s conduction, as the

invigilator left data collection rooms to minimize observer bias. It is therefore
unclear how productive and relevant the conversations were, and whether all
participants contributed equally and honestly. Furthermore, observer bias may
still have skewed results, as other participants’ presence may have encouraged
socially desirable answers, decreasing the external and ecological validity of
results. Additionally, participants were unnaturally divided into focus groups
depending on whether they listened to white noise, rendering the data unreliable
and ecologically invalid. In retrospect, it is evident that discerning the data’s
validity is impossible, as qualitative data is entirely subject to an individual’s
psychological and social knowledge, and does not necessarily represent the
valid, scientific truth. Furthermore, the investigation’s data collection occurred
across two days and at different times, altering the opinions, emotions and
alertness of each focus group involved and decreasing general reliability.
Therefore, a low degree of validity and reliability is evident within the
investigation.

With a sample of approximately 30 participants, the investigation’s sample size

is small, decreasing its external validity. The sample was selected through
convenience sampling and is unrepresentative, consisting entirely of 13–18-
year-old psychology students with similar ethnic, religious and socio-economic
backgrounds. Additionally, the sample coincidentally favored female
participants, with 21 female to 9 male recruits skewing the data’s ecological and
external validity and omitting many demographics which would be affected by a
change to Australian culture. Furthermore, the participants had recently studied
sleep, a factor which likely exponentially increased ‘affects sleep/wake circadian
rhythm’ responses and skewed data collection by decreasing the investigation’s
ecological validity.

The qualitative design choice allowed participants to provide qualitative data in

small, private groups which preserved individual confidentiality and encouraged
relevant, meaningful data collection. Furthermore, the introduction of siestas to
Australia is not a deeply researched field, and so qualitative data collection on
the topic was a convenient way to gather subjective opinions as a starting point
for further research. However, the investigation was disadvantaged by its
external invalidity, as the small sample provided only subjective, unreliable

The perceived effects of siestas on Australian way of life

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answers which reduced the representativeness of the investigation.

Furthermore, the focus groups method relied on the impartiality of the facilitator
and scribe, whose personal bias or interpretation of data may have skewed
results. Removing all subjectivity is not plausible, however when repeating this
experiment, stratified sampling is recommended, as this would encourage
ecological validity and cross-cultural applicability within results. Stricter control
over the time of day and the knowledge of demographic involved could be
implemented, reducing extraneity and unreliable, skewed data. Furthermore, the
Delphi Technique could be used to provide the qualitative data with increased
external validity.

Before conducting data collection, participants were taken through a lengthy

informed consent process. The invigilator informed participants that the
investigation’s aim was to collect qualitative data for research purposes, and
explained the participant’s right to confidentiality and to withdraw without
retribution. Notably, the invigilator used mild coercion, detracting from the
recruits’ voluntary participation and infringing upon the ethicality of the
investigation. However, the right to withdraw was observed and always upheld.
Furthermore, consent forms were signed by the guardian of each student,
ensuring the informed consent of each participant. Throughout data collection,
the confidentiality of all participants was protected by the scribes, who did not
attribute names to the raw data collected, allowing participants to maintain
anonymity. However, participants’ confidentiality may still have been breached,
as comments may have been shared between participants following the
investigation.

Conclusion

This investigation’s aim was to ascertain the perceived repercussions of

introducing a siesta in Australia. Five themes were extracted from the qualitative
data collections, and of these factors, the themes of sleep, work/school
productivity and other factors, but significantly not sport, recurred the most. In
this respect, it is evident that the research question was not conclusively
addressed by the investigation’s themes. The investigation’s qualitative design
encouraged subjectivity which decreased the investigation’s reliability and
validity and formed no conclusive answer to the research question.
Furthermore, as little research has been conducted into a siesta’s effects on
Australian culture, the data gathered in this investigation provides only an
indication of a requirement for further research. Notably, this investigation’s

The perceived effects of siestas on Australian way of life

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findings also cannot irrefutably identify opinions on Australian siestas.

Extraneous variables such as group allocations, the influence of observer bias
and the psychological attitudes and memories of participants skewed the
qualitative data collected. Furthermore, the convenience sampling used
decreased the ecological and external validity of the investigation’s findings.
Therefore, the investigation’s results, as well as its faults and extraneous
variables, prevent the invigilator from answering the research question
conclusively. Instead, the investigation should serve as a starting point for
further, more definite research.

The perceived effects of siestas on Australian way of life

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[Accessed 9 May 2022].

Valencia-Flores, M., Castano, V., Campos, R. and Rosenthal, L., 1998. The siesta culture
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[Accessed 3 April 2022].

Walsh, J., 2019. Enhancement of Slow Wave Sleep: Implications for Insomnia. Journal of
Clinical Sleep Medicine, [Online], 1-5. Available at: https://doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.5.2S.S27
[Accessed 22 May 2022].

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Appendix

Appendix 1: Raw data from focus groups for qualitative data collection

The perceived effects of siestas on Australian way of life

Zeitgebers Research questions Ethical considerations Extraneous variables Research Design
Biological factors How does the The measurement of hormonal imbalance is an intrusive procedure which The individual testing of hormonal An experimental design would be the most beneficial design to
Hormonal imbalance (Gebert & Green, 2021), number of may breach individual privacy, therefore decreasing general wellbeing. imbalance causes validity and test the biological influence of hormonal imbalance on sleep.
the consumption of drugs, alcohol, caffeine or standard Additionally, participants would be expected to take melatonin supplements, reliability problems, in turn affecting Provided that the right to withdraw is upheld and the informed
energy drinks (Harvard Medical School, 2007), alcoholic drinks further affecting general wellbeing. Melatonin levels are generally conducted the quality of the data. If consent process clearly states what testing will occur, an
increased food consumption, light intake, head affect the through saliva tests, which if conducted in a group setting or by the participants were to test experimental design would greatly reduce the number of
injury or trauma (Gebert & Green, 2021), quantity of invigilator, may cause diminished general wellbeing due to reduced themselves, the extraneous possible extraneous variables. By placing recruits in a
physical injury or disease, pain (Harvard Medical sleep attained? confidentiality. Individual testing from home may therefore increase variables of the time of day, the size controlled setting, the times at which data is collected, the
School, 2007), age, gender, Fight, Flight or How does an confidentiality and general wellbeing. In addition, control of melatonin levels of the sample collected, what type amount of melatonin supplement taken and the melatonin
Freeze response, some sleep disorders, (Gebert imbalance of through melatonin supplements allows the invigilator to reliably and validly and how much food was consumed sample size can be regulated, improving the data’s reliability
& Green, 2021), smoking (Harvard Medical melatonin measure hormonal levels, however the right to withdraw and the informed would affect the reliability and and validity. Furthermore, the experiment can be more easily
School, 2007), blue light intake (University of affect quality of consent process would need to accommodate for this likely unusual addition validity of samples across the board. be empirically tested, as experimental designs are conducted in
Minnesota, 2016). sleep? to a recruit’s sleep hygiene techniques. controlled settings which can be effectively replicated.
Psychological factors How can the The informed consent and vetting processes for an A specific sleep disorder would need to be chosen to An experimental design would be optimal to measure the
The existence of mental illness, memories, personal choices to experiment surrounding sleep disorders would need to be narrow down the independent variable. Sleep disorders SWS of individuals with sleep disorders. Removing a
perceptions or attitudes towards sleep delay sleep onset comprehensive. Additionally, the right to withdraw would such as narcolepsy, insomnia and sleep apnoea all affect vulnerable group from their natural setting poses some
(Gebert & Green, 2021), learnt approaches to due to the influence need to be clearly and firmly upheld. A sample of sleep in differing ways, and so to avoid inconclusive and ethical concerns, however provided that the right to
sleep and sleeping habits, emotional state of social media participants with sleep disorders should be treated as a externally invalid results, one specific sleep disorder withdraw and voluntary participation are emphasised, an
prior to sleep onset, stress, personal choices, decrease quality of vulnerable group, and therefore must be carefully treated would need to be chosen. Additionally, stratified experimental design would retain ethicality. Additionally,
some sleep disorders (Gebert & Green, 2021), sleep? In what ways and informed of all risks involved. Furthermore, the right to sampling would be used to select recruits of a variety of its validity and reliability would drastically improve, as
feelings of alertness or sleepiness (UK Health do sleep disorders withdraw would need to be observed to uphold the genders, ages and ethnic backgrounds, which although the effects of extraneous variables such as bedtimes and
Centre, 2022). impact the minutes participants’ general wellbeing, as the experiment may would improve representativeness, may be an other social factors such as friends, family or a noisy
of Slow Wave Sleep require them to sleep in a place, at times or in ways which inconvenient or time-consuming process for the sleeping environment can all be reduced in a controlled
(SWS) received? they are unused to. invigilator. setting.
Social factors How the hours Investigations into co-sleeping would need to The invigilator’s ability to gather ecologically valid The effects of co-sleeping on quality and quantity of sleep
Cultural or religious practices, geographical location, working of sleep a be conducted with consideration for recruits’ results would be limited due to the presence of would be measured through an observational design. More
hours or shift work, the influence of family, societal person attains confidentiality and voluntary participation. observer bias. As observation of co-sleeping is so extraneous variables are present within an observational
expectations, social media, the influence of friends, school influenced by Observing co-sleeping breaches individual intrusive, participants may alter their behaviour design, as the removal of a controlled setting makes it more
starting and finishing times, co-sleeping or parenting choices cultural or confidentiality and possibly detrimentally due to social desirability or embarrassment, and so difficult to regulate extraneous variables. However,
(Gebert & Green 2021), extracurricular activities, conflicts with religious affecting general wellbeing. To minimise this, the ecological validity of data may be greatly participants are less likely to give socially desirable or skewed
the circadian rhythm such as jet lag, daylight savings or season factors? Does recordings of the experiment should not be skewed by observer bias. Limiting this may be data if in their natural settings, decreasing the effects of
changes, the effects of noise, external temperature (Gebert & co-sleeping publicly accessible. Furthermore, recruits difficult, however if recruits are assured that observer bias and increasing the validity of results. Ethicality
Green 2021), the quality of an individual’s mattress or pillow, affect sleep should participate voluntarily having provided confidentiality will be upheld, then results are would also be benefited by this design, as confidentiality is not
cold water showers, usage of mint toothpaste (University of onset times informed consent, and should not feel coerced more likely to be reliable and ecologically valid. as seriously infracted upon.
Minnesota, 2016), daytime napping (UK Health Centre, 2022). negatively? in any way.
Sleep theories Is napping in the late Participants would be guided through an Individual preferences as to the length and time A qualitative research design would be most beneficial when monitoring of the effects of
Daytime afternoon, as extensive informed consent process and be of napping would affect the validity, reliability napping on participants’ quality of sleep. This investigation would rely on reports of alertness
sleepiness/napping, encouraged by the provided with the right to withdraw to and empirical testability of results. The and opinions as to high quality sleep’s effects on general wellbeing. As such, the collection of
excessive sleeping, Evolutionary theory, maintain ethicality. Recruits need to consent participant’s pre-existing napping habits, the rich qualitative data through focus groups, as well as the use of the Delphi technique to
memories from the day detrimental to overall to their sleep/wake circadian rhythms being time of day and for how long napping occurs moderate the validity of the investigation, would provide the most relevant data for content
which may affect the quality of sleep? altered depending on whether the experiment would differ between participants. If this was to analysis. An observational design could also be attempted to increase the validity of data
quality of REM sleep, In what ways do requires them to nap. The right to withdraw be controlled, unnatural sleeping habits being collected; however this would be difficult due to the presence observer bias. Although some
waste toxins, biological memories impact REM would also need to be upheld so that posed on participants may affect sleep quantity level of observation is required to ascertain sleep quality in an observational design, this is also
requirements for protein sleep in accordance participants can remove themselves/be and decrease validity, however not controlling likely to decrease the frequency of naps, in turn lowering the external and ecological validity of
synthesis or cell repair with the Repair and removed if napping or the absence thereof is extraneous variables would decrease the results.
(Gebert & Green, 2021). Restoration theory? detrimentally affecting their sleeping patterns. reliability of results.
Sleep deprivation/debt In what ways does shift Voluntary participation and the right to withdraw would be The type of shift work conducted would An observational design would be the optimal research design which is still
Microsleeps, shift work, jet lag, work impact the amount vital in promoting ethicality within the experiment. It is extraneously affect the experiment’s logistically possible to conduct. Although an experimental design may provide
daylight savings, personal of Slow Wave Sleep (SWS) important to note that shift workers are considered a reliability and external validity. If the more valid results due to the controlled setting and reduced extraneous
choices, social media, the attained? Would reports of vulnerable group, and so to avoid decreasing general type of shift work was not controlled, variables, it is not logistically possible for shift workers to abandon their
influence of family and friends, Delayed Sleep Phase wellbeing or worsening sleep deprivation, participants’ each sample conducting the experiment professions for a controlled setting, nor to simulate a natural shift work
monotony levels of tasks, school, Syndrome decrease in voluntary participation to be involved without coercion or would provide the invigilator with environment, nor to include a large enough sample of shift workers in a
homework and extracurricular Australian high school fear of retaliation, as well as their right to withdraw or be varying data, causing external validity controlled setting to remain representative of shift workers. Therefore, an
commitments, age, gender, the students if school hours withdrawn if general wellbeing is negatively impacted would and reliability concerns. observational design would still provide valid results whilst remaining
existence of sleep disorders, were shifted? need to be carefully considered. logistically testable.
(Gebert & Green, 2021).
 In what ways does Chronic Insomnia Disorder impact feelings of daytime sleepiness and the hours of Slow
Wave Sleep (SWS) received per night?
Introduction:
Sleep is a restorative period of rest controlled by the sleep/wake circadian rhythm. During this period, a person goes through 5
stages of sleep 4-6 times during the night; these are referred to as sleep cycles (Gebert & Green, 2021). Among these stages are Stages 3
and 4, known as restorative or Slow Wave Sleep (SWS). These stages are characterised by greatly reduced physical movement, and an
exponential increase in Delta brainwaves, which slow the brain and body’s functioning to a minimum. (Gebert & Green, 2021) Within this
time, it is theorised that the body may repair and restore physical functioning (Walsh, 2019), clean out waste toxins, consolidate
information into memories or some combination of the three (Gebert & Green, 2021). Supporting these theories is an increase in SWS
following partial sleep deprivation, and a corresponding decrease when sleeping or napping increases (Walsh, 2019). In the short-term,
sleep deprivation negatively affects a person’s physical and psychological state, causing daytime sleepiness, irritability and fatigue, with the
latter causing lapses in attention called microsleeps which can be dangerous, depending on when they occur. Furthermore, long-term
reduction in high-quality and quantity sleep can lead to memory problems, decreased effectiveness of the immune system and even an
increased likelihood of developing brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Dementia (Gebert & Green, 2021).
Despite the serious effects of sleep deprivation, the majority of the population do not attain optimal amounts of sleep, with the average
person obtaining approximately 6 hours of sleep per night (Gebert & Green, 2021). An individual’s sleep quality and quantity are affected
by the number and severity of zeitgebers, factors which influence sleep. The impact of many zeitgebers which contribute to sleep
deprivation could be reduced, such as social media usage, homework and extracurricular activities (Gebert & Green, 2021). However, some
zeitgebers are difficult to control, with sleep disorders such as insomnia drastically affecting sleeping patterns (Suni & Rehmann, 2022).
Insomnia is characterised by an individual’s difficulties with falling sleep, remaining asleep for extended periods and in some cases,
returning to sleep after waking up early. (Ishak et. al., 2012). There are several different forms of insomnia, including Short-Term and
Chronic Insomnia Disorders, both of which can contribute to partial and continuous sleep deprivation (Suni & Rehman, 2022). Stagnated
sleeping patterns caused by insomnia are detrimental to the quantity, and therefore quality, of sleep received. This is evident as insomnia
becomes diagnosable when an individual reports having sleep-related problems which correlate to an increase in daytime sleepiness and
fatigue for 3 days every week, experienced over a period of at least 3 months (Suni & Rehman, 2022). Therefore, insomnia’s interruption of
sleep cycles may decrease the hours of Slow Wave Sleep (SWS) received, lowering an individual’s quality of sleep and increasing reports of
daytime sleepiness.
Aim and Hypothesis
This experiment’s aim is to investigate the ways in which the zeitgeber Chronic Insomnia Disorder influences the hours of Slow Wave Sleep
(SWS) an individual receives per night, and subsequently how this impacts daytime sleepiness.
It stands to reason that if an individual has Chronic Insomnia Disorder, then the hours of SWS which they attain will decrease and feelings
of daytime sleepiness will increase in turn, because the fragmented sleeping pattern caused by Chronic Insomnia Disorder decreases the
amount of high-quality Stage 3 and 4 sleep the individual receives.
Independent variable Dependent variable
Participants with or without Chronic Insomnia Disorder Hours of SWS sleep received per night

Research Design
This experiment is both experimental and observational in design, as participants will be selected and observed based on their pre-existing
experiences with Chronic Insomnia Disorder, or lack thereof. The design is also experimental, however, as recruits are being tested within a
controlled setting of a sleep laboratory. Furthermore, the experiment follows a matched participants design, a feature of experimental
designs which divides the sample into characteristic-based groups. As the independent variable (participants with or without Chronic
Insomnia Disorder) cannot be simulated or manipulated, an observational design is required, which allows the invigilator to observe the
pre-existing sleeping patterns of participants. However, an experimental design is also utilised, as by controlling the location of the
experiment, the effects of different sleeping environments, noise or light intake present within a natural environment are minimised, in
turn improving the reliability and validity of data collected. Furthermore, by dividing the sample using a matched participants design,
recruits are divided by their relationship with the independent variable, allowing the invigilator to measure responses to the dependent
variable in a logical, meaningful manner.
Controlled Variables
The type of insomnia tested will be regulated, with this experiment exclusively studying the effects of Chronic Insomnia Disorder. If the
form of insomnia is not controlled, variation in the severity of the disorder would skew the data collected. This skewed data may then
cause external validity problems, as results cannot be generalised to one specific population, as well as reliability concerns if the
experiment were to be repeated.
Furthermore, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale will be conducted by participants between 2pm and 4pm, with participants monitored by the
invigilator to ensure times are consistent. As a dip in alertness occurs between 2pm and 4pm, daytime sleepiness being measured between
these times increases the reliability of the responses’ severity. Additionally, the simultaneous collection of data within time parameters will
improve the general reliability and validity of data. Similarly, Electroencephalograph (EEG) machines will be set up to consistently monitor
participants for the duration of the night. By ensuring that participants’ brainwave activity is recorded each night by highly valid, objective
quantitative measures like EEG machines, the sleeping patterns of participants will be accurately recorded and will provide more
meaningful and reliable data.
Within the sleep laboratory, rooms will be allocated to each recruit, who will be instructed by the invigilator to sleep in the bed provided
each night. By keeping the sleeping location consistent, the sleep/wake circadian rhythm is more likely to adjust smoothly to an unnatural
setting, increasing the ecological validity of findings and decreasing threat to general wellbeing. Times for going to bed and getting out of
bed will also be controlled by the invigilator, who will instruct all participants follow these curfews. The regulation of bedtimes is somewhat
unethical to establish due to individual differences between insomnia cases, as insomnia provokes irregularities within sleeping patterns,
making set bedtimes unhelpful for some individuals. However, by controlling bedtimes, the attainable amount of sleep debt will be limited
to within certain parameters, reducing outliers in the data. Furthermore, recruits will be prepared for all requirements such as set bedtimes
during the informed consent process, and the right to withdraw or to be withdrawn will always be upheld to support participants’ general
wellbeing.
Extraneous variables
In addition to variables which can be controlled, there are a number of extraneous variables, including the quantity of sleep attained by
participants during the experiment, which can be monitored and reduced but not entirely controlled. Although set bedtimes can be
controlled, the irregular sleep/wake circadian rhythm caused by insomnia makes regulation of sleep onset and wake times nearly
impossible to control. Differing quantities of sleep between participants affects the ecological validity and reliability of results, decreasing
the experiment’s consistency, empirical testability and its general applicability to a wider population. Therefore, set bedtimes will be
observed to keep sleep within certain parameters, controlling the amount of sleep received to some extent.
Another extraneous variable is the quality of sleep recruits received immediately prior to the experiment’s conduction. If participants are
already experiencing exacerbated sleep difficulties, the unnatural setting may continue to worsen sleeping patterns, amplifying external
validity and reliability concerns within results which may not consistently reflect the sleeping patterns of a wider insomniac population. To
contend with but not entirely eliminate this extraneity, rooms will be furnished as comfortably as possible, and participants will be able to
conduct whatever sleep hygiene techniques which they have previously used to promote good sleeping patterns.
Sample
A sample of 400 participants, 200 without any sleep disorder and 200 with Chronic Insomnia Disorder, will be selected through stratified
sampling to represent a variety of demographics. Within this sample, participants from a range of genders, ages, ethnicities, socio-
economic backgrounds and with a variety of professions will be included promote a greater representativeness, as the experiment hopes
to produce externally and ecologically valid results with some cross-cultural applicability. To attain a stratified sample, social media
advertisements will be created and published to increase the geographical reach of the experiment and to attract recruits from a variety of
ethnic backgrounds and genders. These advertisements will be used in conjunction with flyers, which will be placed in schools, universities,
businesses and nursing homes across a number of locations to attract participants from a variety of ages, volitions and socio-economic
backgrounds.
Ethical considerations
There are several ethical concerns which pertain to investigating the effects of Chronic Insomnia Disorder on Slow Wave Sleep and
therefore daytime sleepiness. It is important to note that as the experiment’s design is partially experimental, recruits must sleep in an
unfamiliar and unnatural setting, decreasing the ethicality of the experiment. As a portion of the studied sample have Chronic Insomnia
Disorder, these participants are part of a vulnerable group which need to be treated with the utmost caution and respect. In order for the
experiment to remain ethical, it is crucial that a decrease in general wellbeing does occur, which may further detract from quality of sleep
or mental health. Additionally, the informed consent process for this experiment needs to be lengthy and comprehensive, so that
participants are not ignorant to the details and requirements of the experiment and are able to make an informed decision to participate
with consideration to their sleep difficulties. In addition to this, it is imperative that the right to withdraw is upheld so that participants can
withdraw without fear of retaliation if their sleep quality or quantity has significantly decreased. The invigilator’s right to withdraw
participants if general wellbeing is being infringed upon should also be upheld to further protect the general wellbeing of the vulnerable
group.
Materials
50 x Electroencephalograph (EEG) machines (the most effective way to measure SWS brainwave activity is through the use of EEG
machines. As groups of 50 will be tested each week, only 50 machines are strictly necessary at any time)
50 x Bedrooms (including bedding and pillows) within a sleep laboratory (as the experiment is partially of an experimental design,
bedrooms are required so that participants can sleep in a controlled setting. Individual rooms for each participant are encouraged, as this
may increase quality and quantity sleep. Furthermore, separate rooms hold the ethical benefits of promoting general wellbeing and
confidentiality. However, this may also decrease the ecological validity of results, as depending on the participant, co-sleeping may be an
extraneous variable present outside of the controlled setting)
400 x Epworth Sleepiness logs (each recruit is required to complete an Epworth Sleepiness log, consisting of 7 rating scales so that one can
be completed for each day of the experiment. Unlike EEG machines and bedrooms, a log cannot be reused by other participants once filled
out, and so one log for each participant will be necessary)
50 x pens (pens will be needed to fill out the Epworth Sleepiness logs, and can be reused and shared amongst participants)
Method
1. Participants are selected, vetted and taken through an extensive informed consent process, in which the aims of the investigation, what
is expected and the rights of each participant, including their right to withdraw or be withdrawn and their confidentiality rights, are
explained. Participants with Chronic Insomnia Disorder are considered a vulnerable group, and as such the informed consent process needs
to be lengthy in order to inform recruits of all expectations, which protects their general wellbeing. The right to withdraw or have
participants withdrawn from the experiment is therefore crucial to support wellbeing, as is the importance of
privatising data to uphold the confidentiality of recruits
2. Every night for one week, 25 participants with Chronic Insomnia Disorder and 25 participants without any sleep disorder are
required to sleep in the controlled environment of a sleep laboratory. During the night, their brainwave activity will be recorded by an
EEG machine to ascertain the hours of SWS received. As the sample size is so large to maximise representativeness, it is not logistically
possible to test the whole sample at one time. Therefore, 25 participants each from the Chronic Insomnia Disorder group and the non-
sleep disorder group would be tested at a time. Objective quantitative measurements will be obtained through EEG machines to
provide the invigilator with verifiable data on the hours of SWS attained by every participant per night.
3. In addition to having their Stage 3 and 4 sleep measured, participants will also collect data on their perceived daytime sleepiness
through the subjective quantitative Epworth Sleepiness Scale, which will be completed between 2pm and 4pm. To support the results
of the EEG machines, mean Epworth Sleepiness scores for each recruit will give the invigilator an indication of effects of Chronic
Insomnia Disorder on feelings of daytime sleepiness. To promote valid and reliable results, Epworth Sleepiness logs will be distributed
by the invigilator at 1:45pm and participants will be monitored and expected to give back their completed logs between 2pm and 4pm,
as this period is when melatonin levels naturally increase, provoking an increase in daytime sleepiness.
4. Following the experiment, participants are debriefed as to how their data will be used, how their confidentiality has been observed
and where to access the experiment’s findings when published. Debriefing is an ethical and legal requirement following every
experiment to ensure that the rights of participants have been observed, and provides recruits with an opportunity to ask any
questions or withdraw their data from the experiment if preferred.
5. The process is replicated 7 times over the course of 8 weeks to record the results of all 400 participants. The large sample size
necessitates commitment and reduces the experiment’s convenience, however as the sample is selected through stratified sampling,
the experiment will hold high external and ecological validity and representativeness. Participants’ responses should be measured over
a week, as this provides time for the individual to adjust to their settings, and also provides ample data to draw conclusions from.
6. Results of the experiment are publicly published by the invigilator. The widely-accessible publication of results provides participants
with the opportunity to access the data collection and its conclusions, but also promotes further scientific research within the
psychological field.
Results
Raw results will be collected into a spreadsheet and the mean and standard distribution scores will be obtained. To present the results
publicly, a table will be used to show the distribution of results in a visual way, and a discussion will allow viewers or participants to
understand how the data should be interpreted.
Table 1: Possible results table to measure the effects of Chronic Insomnia Disorder on daytime sleepiness and the amount of Slow Wave
Sleep attained.
Participant Mean hours of SWS/night Mean Epworth Sleepiness score (1-24)
(Example) 6398 1.33 hours/night 7

Errors
Possible errors may stem from the use of Epworth Sleepiness Scores, which will be used to measure perceived daytime sleepiness.
While a valuable insight into personal experience, Epworth Sleepiness Scores are skewed by personal bias, individual perceptions of
fatigue, socially desirable answers or incorrect/indecipherable data collected. These factors greatly lower the ecological validity and
reliability of results, because each sample would provide sample-specific, inconsistent findings. To decrease the effects of these
variables, the logs will be carefully explained, and participants will be encouraged to provide honest answers, as the ethical principle of
confidentiality will be upheld.
Another error likely to affect the investigation is Chronic Insomnia Disorder itself, as the sleep disorder affects participants in a variety
of uncontrollable ways, impacting the quality, quantity or onset/wake times of recruits. For this reason, the reliability and external
validity of the data collected remains a concern. To minimise the effects of this error, times for going to and rising from bed will be set
and enforced to contain sleeping patterns within certain limits and the use of any sleep hygiene practices will be encouraged in order
to heighten the validity and reliability of results, regardless of extraneity concerns which this may cause.
Conclusion
The experiment’s aim was to ascertain the effects of Chronic Insomnia Disorder on feelings of daytime sleepiness and the hours of Slow
Wave Sleep received. It is expected that an individual’s quality of sleep will decrease if they are suffering from this disorder, as Chronic
Insomnia Disorder causes disruptions and irregularities to sleeping patterns which can affect the quantity of restorative SWS received.
This hypothesis is likely to be supported by the data collected, the variables of which will be as controlled as possible. However, it is
expected that some errors will be made and some variables will remain extraneous, such as invalid/biased responses to the Epworth
Sleepiness Scale and the irregular and uncontrollable nature of sleep disorders. The experimental and observational research designs
chosen, although provoking some ethical concerns, will also aid in answering the hypothesis. The experimental design calls for a
controlled setting, providing the invigilator with more valid and reliable results due to the reduction or removal of extraneous
variables. Furthermore, the matched participants design, when used in conjunction with a large, stratified sample, includes recruits
from a variety of different demographics, increasing the representativeness of findings. Furthermore, the observational design used
allows for pre-existing sleep disorders, providing the invigilator with genuine, ecologically valid data which is likely to further support
the hypothesis.