1. Sleep and Academic Demands: Preliminary Research in Grades 3-6
Melissa Holland, PhD, Associate Professor; Melissa Hernandez and Diana Lujano, School Psychology Graduate Students
California State University, Sacramento
There has been an increase over the last several decades of intense demands on our youth in their academics, including an increased focus on grades, standardized test scores, and larger amounts of assigned homework (Kohn, 2006). These factors also can interfere with quality sleep, including later bedtimes and stress about studying for tests or completing homework assignments.
Best Practices
SLEEP HYGIENE: Promote Healthy Sleeping Habits:
Consistent bedtime routine (quiet time for 1 hour prior)
Sleep schedule (have set times/follow daily)
Naps should be less than 1 hour
Avoidance of caffeine after 2PM
Large meals/exercise not within 2-3 hours prior
Sleep Environment: a consistent location, temperature ≤ 70, quiet, dark, & media-free
STAKEHOLDER RECOMMENDATIONS:
Administrators, Teachers and School Psychologists:
Educate all members of school staff, students, and parents about the importance of adequate sleep and the consequences of sleep deprivation
Ensure staff members are aware of appropriate classroom accommodations that might be necessary for students with chronic sleep problems.
Identify appropriate community referral sources for families of students with significant sleep problems. Integrate topics about sleep problems and the consequences of a lack of sleep into the curriculum
Examine the feasibility of modifying school schedules (start times) to better conform to student sleep patterns.
Consider Cognitive Behavior Therapy for children who are anxious or depressed, or where thoughts are keeping them awake
Consider balance in the child’s life: Support school-wide student mental health in the schools via SEL programs, mindfulness programs, and education around mental health and balance
Advocate for informed homework policies
Parents:
Be observant for behavioral signs of sleepiness.
Report sleep disturbances to your child’s pediatrician.
Educate your child on the importance of sleep.
Facilitate the improvement of or strengthening of teen bonds with their families, teachers, and friends.
Children years old should be sleeping 8-10 hours per night, elementary children 9-11 hours.
Introduction
This poster presentation discusses the emotional, behavioral, and educational impacts of sleep disturbances on students and explores the role of school psychologists in increasing awareness and promoting sleep hygiene. Preliminary data from survey research will be shared on the topic, with participants learning how to use this information to help create school policy to best help students get the sleep they need.
Current Problems
Presently, school officials and medical professionals often overlook the importance of sleep on emotional, behavioral, and educational factors. The literature not only stresses the need for further education on the importance of sleep and the prevalence of sleep disturbances, but also highlights the positive impact collaboration between families, school officials, and medical professionals can have on sleep hygiene and its effects. Given the importance of education about sleep, as well as the need for collaboration between families, schools, and medical professionals, practical information is offered here for school psychologists to utilize in their work with families.
Sleep and Mental Health
According to Everhart (2011), one in three children enrolled in elementary school have a serious sleep disturbance. Because symptoms of sleep disturbances may present themselves as behavioral or academic issues, these children may be referred to the school psychologist, making it important for school psychologists to explore their quality and quantity of sleep (Buckhalt, Wolfson, & El-Sheikh, 2009).
Progressively later bedtimes have led to a decrease in children’s total sleep duration, yet school start times remain either unchanged or have become earlier. The National Sleep Foundation reports elementary aged children need between 9-11 hours of sleep (Hirshkowitz, et al., 2015). However, most children are not getting these amounts, which is leading to negative consequences. Late bedtimes and shortened sleep duration are predictive of poor attention and depressive symptoms among students (Vriend, et al., 2012).
Research has yielded a strong connection between excessive daytime sleepiness and depression in Western adolescents and children (Calhoun, et. al., 2011; Zhou, Su, & Tse, 2015).
Zhou et. al. (2015) analyzed the prevalence of unhealthy sleep behaviors and its relationship with depression in school aged children. Their results revealed staying up late to study was the risk factor most associated with severe tiredness and depression. Despite the negative effects of adverse sleep behaviors, screening for sleep disorders is often overlooked by both primary care clinics and school-based assessment.
Current Study
The purpose of this research was to explore the social-emotional health of elementary students and the scholastic pressures they face, namely homework. School homework policies and the impact of homework on students’ sleep were examined. Comprehensive questionnaires addressing student, teacher, and parent perspectives on homework and on students’ social-emotional health were implemented. For this session, sleep was examined as it relates to homework.
Methodology
Participants
The current study utilized a sample of 867 participants from local schools and school districts in the greater Sacramento and Northern California area. Participants included students grades third to sixth (n= 397), parents (n= 442), and teachers (n= 28).
Procedure
Data was collected by the research team at school
districts with prior approval to conduct research in the
given school district.
Materials
Teacher, Parent and Student surveys were developed
by the research team were distributed to schools with
prior approval by district and principal.
Ethnicity
Frequency
Percent
White
271
61.3
Black 27
6.1
Hispanic
133
30.1
Native American 20
4.5
Asian/Pacific Islander 55
12.4
Other 15
3.4
Missing 6
1.4
Total
442/521/527*
100/100+*
*Note: The formatting of the survey allowed parents to indicate more than one ethnicity for their child. This complicates our “total” for this statistic. Out of 442 parents, 6 did not answer and 73 indicated more than one ethnicity.
Results
Parent Data: On Average How MUCH SLEEP Does Your Child Get & Does Homework Completion INTERFERE with Amount of Sleep?
Sleep and Academics
Sleep disturbances can significantly affect a student’s experience and performance in school.
Perfect et al. (2014) examined whether current and long-term sleep-related problems among children were predictive of academic achievement and behavioral ratings. The results of this study were consistent with previous research, indicating that sleep problems predict lower grades and negative student attitudes toward teachers and school. Irregular sleep patterns were also more apparent among children who exhibited internalizing symptoms, particularly anxiety and somatic complaints. Students whose parents reported their child displayed excessive daytime sleepiness were also more likely to report their child experiencing internalizing symptoms such as depression, social stress, and feelings of inadequacy. Elementary students getting less than the recommended 9-11 hours of sleep are reporting one cause of this is increasing academic demands.
Amount of Sleep
Frequency
Percent
Less than 5 hours 1 .2
5 to 6 hours 6
1.4
6 to 7 hours 27
6.1
7-8 hours
126
28.5
More than 8 hours
282
63.8
Total
442
100
Interference
Frequency
Percent
Yes 14
3.2 No
342
77.4
Sometimes 80
18.1
Missing 6
1.4
Total
442
100
References
Buckhalt, J.A., Wolfson, A.R., El-Sheikh, M. (2009). Children’s sleep and school psychology practice. School
Psychology Quarterly, 24(1), doi: /a
Calhoun, S. L., Vgontzas, A. N., Fernandez-Mendoza, J., Mayes, S. D., Tsaoussoglou, M., Basta, M., & Bixler, E. O.
(2011). Prevalence and risk factors of excessive daytime sleepiness in a community sample of young children:
The role of obesity, asthma, anxiety/depression, and sleep. Sleep: Journal of Sleep and Sleep Disorders
Research, 34(4), doi: /sleep/
Everhart, E.D. (2011). Sleep disorders in children: collaboration for school-based intervention. Journal of
Educational and Psychological Consultation, 21, doi: /
Kohn, A. (2006). The homework myth: Why our kids get too much of a bad thing. Cambridge, MA: Da Capo
Press.
Hirshkowitz, M., Whilton., K., Albert., S. M., Alessi, C., Bruni, O., DonCarlos, L., .... Hillard, P. J. A. (2015). National
Sleep Foundation’s sleep time duration recommendations: methodology and results summary. Sleep Health:
Journal of the National Sleep Foundation, 1(1), Retrieved from
Perfect, M.M., Levine-Donnerstein, D., Archbold, K., Goodwin, J.L., Quan, S.F. (2014). The contribution of sleep
problems to academic and psychosocial functioning. Psychology in the Schools, 51(3), doi:
/pits.21746
Vriend, J., Davidson, F., Corkum, P., Rusak, B., McLaughlin, E., & Chambers, C. (2012). Sleep quantity and quality
in relation to daytime functioning in children. Children’s Health Care, 41(1),
doi:   /
Zhou, Y., Siu, A., & Tse, W. T. (2015). Influences of Unhealthy Sleep Behaviors on the Excessive Daytime
Sleepiness and Depressive Symptoms in Children. Journal of Child & Family Studies, 24(7),
Student Data: Do you Wish you Got MORE SLEEP & Does Homework Completion INTERFERE with your Amount of Sleep?
Interference with sleep?
Response
Frequency
Percent
Yes
176
44.3 No 83
20.9
Sometimes
134
33.8
Missing 4
1.1
Total
397
100
Desire for more sleep?
Response
Frequency
Percent
Yes 57
14.4 No
179
45.1
Sometimes
146
36.8
Missing 15
3.8
Total
397
100
Teachers: Does Amount of Sleep have an Impact on Academic Performance?
Response
Frequency
Percent
Always 19
67.9
Often 7
25.0
Rarely 1
3.6
Never
Total 28
100