Sleep Habits and Academic Performance

Abstract

This study examined the effects of poor sleep habits on the academic performance of children. The role of poverty rate, medical diagnoses, napping and medication on sleep habits was also assessed. One hundred ninety-one parents of Kindergarten-4th grade students completed the Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ), as well as an informal survey. Children who were referred to the Student Support Team (SST) had significantly higher scores on the CSHQ subscale Night Wakings. Children who had a diagnosed medical condition had significantly higher scores on the CSHQ Total Score, as well as the subscales Sleep Onset Delay, Sleep Anxiety, Night Wakings, Parasomnias and Sleep Disordered Breathing. Children taking medication had significantly higher scores on the CSHQ Total Score, as well as the subscales Sleep Onset Delay, Night Wakings, Parasomnias and Sleep Disordered Breathing. Children from an elementary school with a 97.7% poverty rate had significantly higher scores on the CSHQ subscales Sleep Onset Delay and Night Wakings. These results highlight the importance of sleep education in the schools, as well as the need to address the issue of sleep in Student Support Team meetings.