College Sleep

This topic submitted by Stephanie Caprini, Jessica Ruff, Emily Casey, Christina McGrath on 12/16/03 .

Natural Systems 1 Syllabus---Western Program---Miami University

Sleep Patterns in College Freshman

Christina McGrath, Stephanie Caprini, Emily Casey, Jessica Ruff
Abstract

Our study was conducted to find a correlation between oneÕs year in college and the amount of sleep one receives. We hypothesised that freshman would receive the least amount of sleep because of the overwhelming newness of the college experience. We feel our research is extremely pertinent to todayÕs culture, especially for those of us currently enrolled or those about to be enrolled in college, to understand the effects college is having on its studentsÕ sleeping patterns and, therefore, hopefully spur interest in devising ways to alleviate the problem.
Upon completing our research we discovered that, while college students are, in all, receiving less than the recommended eight hours of sleep a night, the findings pointed us away from the freshman and towards the sophomores. We deduced that the reason sophomores were, on average, getting more sleep than any other class was due to the ÒSophomore Slump.Ó Further investigation suggested that the ÒSophomore SlumpÓ does exist and one of the main reasons for it is because the newness of college has faded. One of the results, then, is an increase in sleep for those students.

Introduction

Purpose

We hypothesize that freshman will get less sleep than sophomores and upperclassmen due to the newness of their college experiences. By Ònewness,Ó we mean their experiences in academics (number of credit hours they are taking, their major, if theyÕre up at night doing homework, etc), their social life (how much they sleep on a weekday and weekend night, what else fills their time at night, etc), and their belief in their own invincibility (whether they feel theyÕre susceptible to sickness or doing poorly in school if they donÕt get enough sleep, etc). Among many alternative hypotheses, two include a.) Sleep is not a matter of oneÕs year, but it just depends on the person; some people get more sleep than others, and b.) The amount of sleep one gets depends on how many credit hours he/she is taking. We do not feel that these other aspects pertain to the correlation we wish to establish between the differences in sleeping patterns of people while they are attending college.
Decision Arrival
Our group had been extremely interested in studying humans. We were curious to discover why humans behave in certain ways during college and the reasons for their actions. The criteria we used to narrow down the topic into a specific question included the fact that we wanted to do something that would immediately pertain to us, and to the rest of the freshman class, and something that occurred on a daily basis. Therefore, we decided to examine peopleÕs sleeping patterns.
While we had hoped to stay on Western Campus, to provide us with a type of controlled environment, we knew that the only kind of relevant data we could collect would be to examine the differences in sleep patterns between majors. We also knew that our data could be skewed if we stuck with that aspect because, while the freshman on Western are mixed between Western majors and Architecture/Interior Design majors, the majority of upperclassmen living on Western Campus are Western majors. Therefore, any correlation we wanted to find between majors would be difficult, so we decided to broaden our view and look at all of Miami. When we did so, we realized that we could find sufficient data to support a project examining the differences in sleeping patterns between freshman and everyone else.
Plan to Accomplish
We plan to determine that there is a correlation between oneÕs year in college and the amount of sleep he/she receives. Similarly, we plan to establish that freshman receive less sleep than the rest of the people in college because of the fact that they find themselves in an environment completely different from the one at home, but that as they continue through college they settle in more and then are able to get more sleep because they realize itÕs importance.

Relevance
This research is interesting because it pertains to all freshmen. It will help them to understand many of the pitfalls that freshman face so that they may be able to avoid some of them to ensure they are not so sleep deprived. In addition to just freshman, parents may find it interesting because they can see what types of things their children may be facing upon entering college, as well as current upperclassmen, because they can compare their experiences to our findings and see if they ran into some of the same problems but have been able to overcome them.

Relevance to our Research Question

Literature Review

Not surprisingly, many people have devoted much time to studying humansÕ sleep patterns and the benefits of sleep. Unfortunately, though, many studies conclude the same thing: college students fail to receive sufficient amounts of sleep. According to Tahan and Hance 1995, Ònormal sleep patterns are disturbed to handle the extra workloadÓ . In this article, they studied how college studentsÕ workload was affecting their sleeping patterns, and how their sleeping patterns were then affecting their health. They found that students are failing to sleep because of class work or socialization, and that their failure to sleep can result in health problems such as chronic pain, insomnia, weakened immune system and poorer motor skills , stress, or just an overall feeling of being burnt out and weak. It relates to our project because it pinpointed that students are sleeping less in college. However, it did not describe any correlation between oneÕs year in college and the amount of sleep one gets. It simply stated the connection between sleep and health issues. In a similar manner, though, a study done by Youngstedt, Ph.D., 2003, for the University of California, San Diego, also found that sleep effects oneÕs health and suggests a remedy: exercise. Dr. Youngstedt found that, while exercise may not effect Òsleep levels in good sleepers, findings indicate it could lead to better sleeping patterns in those who have trouble sleepingÓ . McGinnis et al 2003, also says that both exercise and avoiding substances high in sugar and caffeine will improve sleep. The populations in both article, however, was not exclusive to college students, although it relates to our research because it suggests that sleep deprivation is something that can be overcome and avoided, as we suggest happens to upperclassmen.
Gettysburg College also did a study on sleep patterns, with part of their study focusing on college students. It found that Òit is the ordinary lifestyle of a lot of students that is the major enemy of regular healthy sleepÓ because students felt they were ÒÔnight peopleÕÓ . This relates to our topic because we, too, are suggesting that the newness of the college experience is causing freshman to sacrifice sleep, and part of that ÒnewnessÓ is the social aspect, which would tie in the Ònight peopleÓ theme of this research. In addition, this research is related to some of the prior research because it suggests some remedies such as not smoking, not drinking caffeine at night, and even keeping oneÕs bed as the place for sleep and not studying or watching TV or socializing while on it.
Another study, Anderson, PhD. 2001, suggests that, on average, college students spend anywhere from 100-400 minutes online a day. Thus, the students are sacrificing sleep to stay on the Internet, sometimes receiving less than four hours of sleep a night at least once a week because of it. The relevance is that, in assessing the ÒnewnessÓ of the college experience, we are examining how social and academic aspects affect sleep, and the Internet is commonly used for both purposes.
In a newspaper article, Markel 2002, in the Naples Daily News, Jenny Waller, 21, a student at the University of Michigan, is quoted as saying, ÒÔIn college, your mom isnÕt there to tell you to go to bed . . . within a month I was staying up all nightÕÓ , and is considered, as many college students are, a Ònight owl.Ó Markel wrote that Kansas State University found that college students, in the year 2002, averaged only 6 to 6.9 hours of sleep, whereas students in the 1980s averaged 7 to 7.5 hours a night. Their research also concluded that sleep deprivation affects oneÕs health. Similarly, in another article called ÒSleep on it: Implementing a Relaxation Program into the College Curriculum,Ó Notre Dame college students found many of the same results listed in all of the previous articles. Their research acted as a culmination of all the research we have listed above. The article discussed how studentsÕ workloads are affecting their sleep patterns, how lack of sleep is detrimental to oneÕs health, and how exercise and relaxation may help one to overcome the inability to sleep. One new aspect that they introduced was studentsÕ need to fit employment time into their already complicated schedule, which only hinders their ability to find time to sleep. Also, this article produced the survey used during their research. It is relevant because it encompassed many of the same concepts weÕre using, and their survey asked many of the same questions as ours, including oneÕs gender, major, year in school, and how many hours of sleep received nightly.
According to Pilcher et al, 1997, students lacking sufficient sleep perform their daily tasks to a worse degree than those who get adequate amounts of sleep. Also, they found that Òthe sleep-deprived participants rated their concentration and effort higher than the non-deprived participants did. In addition, the sleep -deprived participants rated their estimated performance significantly higher than the non-deprived participants did. The findings indicate that college students are not aware of the extent to which sleep deprivation negatively affects their ability to complete cognitive tasksÓ . The article also included a copy of the survey they had the students fill out about how they felt they were performing their daily tasks. This was very helpful because we were able to compare our survey to theirs and see how their questions pertained to our study as well. A couple of their questions dealt with how they students felt they were able to function on little sleep, and that coincides with our questions about invincibility. Also, Webb and Friel, 1970, studied how the duration of sleep effects the stages of sleep one experiences and then how rested they feel as a result. They found that their Òfindings do not indicate that sleep may be shortened without consequences. Indeed, there is substantial evidence to indicate that there are at least temporary consequences of curtailing established sleep patternsÓ . The findings correlate with the other article because it discusses the importance of sleep in oneÕs life, especially since sleep improves memory recall
In a student study, Varney 2001, at the University of Vermont, the willingness of college students to give up sleep for other things is extremely obvious. In his graphs, Varney shows that nearly 25% of the students he surveyed would willingly give up sleep if there were not enough hours in the day to do everything, and nearly 55% of those same people admit to staying up too late to watch television or be online. In addition, a study conducted at Seattle Pacific University shows that part of the problem may be the environment of the dorms. It said that many students find trouble sleeping because they are either kept awake or awakened by the noise produced by their roommate, their neighbors, or their hall in general. Thus, his study further proves that which the studies previously mentioned prove, and further relates to our research project.
Another project that compiles all the former articles was written in 2001 at Texas A&M University. Like all the other studies, it discusses the detrimental effects of the lack of sleep and some possible remedies, but it also quickly discusses the concept of napping, which no previous article mentioned. It suggest that, while one may be getting the full eight hours of sleep, a 30-minute power nap is always a good way to revive oneself if he/she is starting to feel sluggish and groggy. This research then directly correlates to a Cornell University study conducted in 1997. That study says, Òmore than 80 percent of college undergraduate students are smart enough to take a nap and help restore their mental and physical powersÓ . Just looking at this study would make anyone assume that college students have no troubles sleeping. However, all of the other research we gathered, and what we have observed and experienced ourselves, completely suggests otherwise. The Cornell study incorporated the same genre of people as all the others - college students - and yet, because they chose to focus on the benefits of napping, their results portrayed a completely different side of college sleeping patterns. We believe that this is important to include in our consideration of how we continue with our project because it proves how vital it is to control for different variables and stay completely focused on our topic. Although they studied, in a broad sense, sleep patterns in college students, they controlled for a variable no one else considered Ð napping Ð and therefore obtained a completely different conclusion.
One last, quick twist in scientific research regarding college students that we found was an article by Lemons and Richard, 1987. Their entire article ÒA Developmental Perspective of Sophomore SlumpÓ was the first that dealt with a specific class. Although they did not directly relate the slump to a lack of sleep, their acknowledgement of this widely used and understood phrase made us consider it validity as our own personal research led us to more closely examine sophomores and their sleeping habits. They defined the slump as Òa studentÕs dissatisfaction with the college and his or her personal experience at college,Ó which we later found to directly correlate with our research. At first glance, though, we found it pertinent because it focused on the mentality of a specific class, something no other research weÕd found had done.
Larger Issue
Our research relates to many larger questions. It encompasses the question ÒWhat influences human behavior?Ó by attempting to pinpoint the reasons why freshman get less sleep than upperclassmen. In addition, it addresses the issue of how self-aware are humans of their actions and the consequences of those actions because our survey incorporates questions about oneÕs knowledge and concern for how sleep affects health. In the end, we hope that our project will be able to make people better aware of how their actions and decisions affect them.
Experimental Design
Our experimental design will be survey based. We will be measuring how much sleep on average a freshman student or an upperclassman gets. We will also be estimating why it is these students are getting the amounts of sleep they are. Our survey questions should lead us to prove or disprove our hypothesis.

Methods and Materials
Experimental Design
We decided that it would be most effective to collect our data in the form of surveys. We knew that in order to adequately research the topic we needed to collect a plethora of information, and we felt that a survey would allow us to collect the most data in the quickest amount of time and in the most concise manner. Therefore, we produced a one sided survey (see attached) so that the participants wouldnÕt be discouraged by a long survey and therefore not want to participate. These surveys were designed to ask multiple questions about how much sleep students get on an average weeknight and then on a weekend night. To ensure unbiased results, there were surveys given to an equal amount of freshman and non-freshman and the selection of people was random. We asked everyone that passed us if they would like to fill out a survey until the quota for that class (i.e freshman/non-freshman) was filled. We passed out our surveys at four different locations: Shriver, Alexander, Bell Tower, and the Recreational Center, with an incentive of candy. We chose these locations to collect data because they are in places that are commonly used by all classes and by a large variety of people (i.e. western, main campus, seniors, athletes, etc.) We also chose to collect data on Friday at lunchtime because we felt it was middle of the day, and people would still be able to reflect on their sleeping habits from the night before (a weeknight), and estimate their sleeping patterns for the next night (a weekend night). The surveys were then collected and the data organized into data sheets using Microsoft Excel. Excel was the chosen as the choice program because it allowed us to quickly and easily find correlations and produce graphs of the data we gathered so we could make conclusions based on our findings.
Our data then suggested that sophomores are getting the most sleep of any class, so a more intense mode of study (i.e. focus group) was used to discover more details. The focus group included a survey (see ÒFocus Group QuestionsÓ attachment), which aided our understanding of the different aspects of the ÒSophomore Slump.Ó The results were then compiled to formulate a better understanding of why the sophomores were getting more sleep than any other class.

SLEEPING SURVEY

Name: ________________________
(Can we contact you for further research?, if yes Phone Number:___________________)

Are you a (Please Circle one): Male Female

What is you major?________________________ # of Credit Hours this semester____

What year are you in school? Freshman Sophomore Junior Senior.

About how many hours of sleep did you get last night?--________

About how many hours of sleep do you get on an average weeknight? ________

About how many hours of sleep do you think you get on a weekend night? ________

Instead of sleeping you areÉ. (Please check all that apply).
_ Studying
_ Talking
_ Watching TV/Hanging out
_ videogames
_ Surfing the Web
_ Other ______________________

Please Circle One (Strongly Agree 10 through Strongly Disagree 1)

I have problems sleeping or a hard time getting to sleep at night.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
I feel worried about not getting enough sleep.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
I think that lack of sleep will increase my susceptibility to sickness.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
I think that lack of sleep will decrease my academic ability.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
I donÕt sleep because I am away from my parents and donÕt have to.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
I get more sleep than I did in high school/ at home.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Upperclassman Only
I am getting more sleep than when I was a freshman.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Focus Group Questions
Survey Questions
1. Do you feel that the ÒSophomore SlumpÓ exists?
2. If yes, do you feel that you have fallen into it? Why?
3. If no, what prevented you?
4. If you or a friend have fallen into the slump, what do you think it would take to get out of it?
5. What has changed since your freshman year that caused something like this to happen/ What are some of the reasons for the ÒSophomore SlumpÓ?
6. As a consequence, do you feel youÕre getting more sleep?
7. Is your increased sleeping pattern affecting other things in your life?

Class Presentation
Pajama Party on 4th floor
Possible time change to 8 or 9:00 Tuesday night
1) Read bedtime story
2) Let kids get milk and cookies
3) Introduce sleep patterns in college students
4) PowerPoint
5) Group discussion / mini focus group
Timeline
October 24, 2003 Conduct Survey
October 25, 2003 Ð November 6, 2003 Summarize collected Data
November 11, 2003 Class Presentation/Focus Group
December 5, 2003 Ð December 7, 2003 Conduct Focus Groups
December 9, 2003 - December 15, 2003 Complete Final Report

Results
Oneway Analysis of Average Weeknight By Year

Oneway Anova
Summary of Fit

Rsquare 0.020653
Adj Rsquare -0.00995
Root Mean Square Error 1.385578
Mean of Response 6.91
Observations (or Sum Wgts) 100
Analysis of Variance
Source DF Sum of Squares Mean Square F Ratio Prob > F
Year 3 3.88678 1.29559 0.6748 0.5695
Error 96 184.30322 1.91983
C. Total 99 188.19000
Means for Oneway Anova
Level Number Mean Std Error Lower 95% Upper 95%
FRESH 37 6.87838 0.22779 6.4262 7.3305
JUNIOR 15 6.53333 0.35775 5.8232 7.2435
SENIOR 16 6.87500 0.34639 6.1874 7.5626
SOPHOMORE 32 7.14062 0.24494 6.6544 7.6268
Std Error uses a pooled estimate of error variance
This graph displays the average amount of sleep each class get on a weeknight (Monday - Thursday). Although the p value is not small enough to be significant (i.e. there is a 56 percent probability that our results can be explained by chance alone), the data suggests that sophomores get anywhere from 16 to 37 minutes more of sleep a night than the other classes. While that may not seem like much, the accumulation of the addition sleep makes a huge difference in overall alertness, memory, health, and ability to concentrate.

Oneway Analysis of Average Weekend By Year

Oneway Anova
Summary of Fit

Rsquare 0.014646
Adj Rsquare -0.01552
Root Mean Square Error 2.109797
Mean of Response 8.411765
Observations (or Sum Wgts) 102
Analysis of Variance
Source DF Sum of Squares Mean Square F Ratio Prob > F
Year 3 6.48408 2.16136 0.4856 0.6931
Error 98 436.22181 4.45124
C. Total 101 442.70588
Means for Oneway Anova
Level Number Mean Std Error Lower 95% Upper 95%
FRESH 37 8.72973 0.34685 8.0414 9.4180
JUNIOR 15 8.13333 0.54475 7.0523 9.2144
SENIOR 16 8.12500 0.52745 7.0783 9.1717
SOPHOMORE 34 8.32353 0.36183 7.6055 9.0416
Std Error uses a pooled estimate of error variance
This graph displays the average sleep on weekends (Friday - Sunday) for all four classes. Again, with a 69 percent probability that our results can be explained by chance alone, we were unable to conclude the significance regarding the difference in the amounts of sleep that each class received. The averages for this data do suggest, however, that freshman get slightly more sleep on the weekends then the other classes. Sophomores, however, are second, thus showing that the ÒSophomore SlumpÓ assumption may still be feasible.

Oneway Analysis of Question 1 By Year
I have problems sleeping or a hard time getting to sleep at night.

Oneway Anova
Summary of Fit
Rsquare 0.055855
Adj Rsquare 0.017319
Root Mean Square Error 2.837684
Mean of Response 4.106796
Observations (or Sum Wgts) 103
Analysis of Variance
Source DF Sum of Squares Mean Square F Ratio Prob > F
Year 4 46.68531 11.6713 1.4494 0.2236
Error 98 789.13993 8.0524
C. Total 102 835.82524
Means for Oneway Anova
Level Number Mean Std Error Lower 95% Upper 95%
FRESH 37 4.05405 0.4665 3.128 4.9798
JUNIOR 15 4.53333 0.7327 3.079 5.9873
SENIOR 16 2.87500 0.7094 1.467 4.2828
SOPHOMORE 34 4.64706 0.4867 3.681 5.6128
Std Error uses a pooled estimate of error variance
This graph shows on a scale of one to ten how each class rates the difficulty of getting to sleep. This question has the best p-value of all our data, with only a 22 percent probability that our results are due to chance alone. It also seems that seniors have the least trouble getting to sleep, and sophomores are the most neutral on the subject.
Oneway Analysis of Question 2 By Year
I feel worried about not getting enough sleep.

Oneway Anova
Summary of Fit
Rsquare 0.016219
Adj Rsquare -0.02394
Root Mean Square Error 2.523561
Mean of Response 4.728155
Observations (or Sum Wgts) 103
Analysis of Variance
Source DF Sum of Squares Mean Square F Ratio Prob > F
Year 4 10.28885 2.57221 0.4039 0.8054
Error 98 624.09950 6.36836
C. Total 102 634.38835
Means for Oneway Anova
Level Number Mean Std Error Lower 95% Upper 95%
FRESH 37 4.72973 0.4149 3.906 5.5530
JUNIOR 15 4.40000 0.6516 3.107 5.6930
SENIOR 16 4.93750 0.6309 3.686 6.1895
SOPHOMORE 34 4.85294 0.4328 3.994 5.7118
Std Error uses a pooled estimate of error variance
This graph shows how worried each class is about getting enough sleep. The 80 percent probability that our results can be explained by chance alone hints that there is no significant difference in our results. Overall, all the classes are neutral or somewhat disagree with the statement of being worried about not getting enough sleep.

Oneway Analysis of Question 3 By Year
I think that lack of sleep will increase my susceptibility to sickness.

Oneway Anova
Summary of Fit
Rsquare 0.024151
Adj Rsquare -0.01568
Root Mean Square Error 2.76635
Mean of Response 6.932039
Observations (or Sum Wgts) 103
Analysis of Variance
Source DF Sum of Squares Mean Square F Ratio Prob > F
Year 4 18.56038 4.64010 0.6063 0.6590
Error 98 749.96389 7.65269
C. Total 102 768.52427
Means for Oneway Anova
Level Number Mean Std Error Lower 95% Upper 95%
FRESH 37 7.10811 0.4548 6.206 8.0106
JUNIOR 15 6.80000 0.7143 5.383 8.2174
SENIOR 16 7.18750 0.6916 5.815 8.5599
SOPHOMORE 34 6.79412 0.4744 5.853 7.7356
Std Error uses a pooled estimate of error variance
This graph is how each class rates the idea of susceptibility to sickness due to lack of sleep. Once more, with 65 percent probability that our results can be explained by chance alone, there was no way to make a strong conclusion between the different classes. Combined however, they all agreed that a lack of sleep made them more likely to get sick.
Oneway Analysis of Question 4 By Year
I think that lack of sleep will decrease my academic ability.

Oneway Anova
Summary of Fit
Rsquare 0.053768
Adj Rsquare 0.015146
Root Mean Square Error 2.362579
Mean of Response 6.864078
Observations (or Sum Wgts) 103
Analysis of Variance
Source DF Sum of Squares Mean Square F Ratio Prob > F
Year 4 31.08285 7.77071 1.3922 0.2423
Error 98 547.01424 5.58178
C. Total 102 578.09709
Means for Oneway Anova
Level Number Mean Std Error Lower 95% Upper 95%
FRESH 37 7.32432 0.3884 6.554 8.0951
JUNIOR 15 5.86667 0.6100 4.656 7.0772
SENIOR 16 6.81250 0.5906 5.640 7.9846
SOPHOMORE 34 6.91176 0.4052 6.108 7.7158
Std Error uses a pooled estimate of error variance
This graph shows how each class rates a lack of sleep affecting their academics. This was our second best data grouping, with only a 24 percent probability that our results can be explained by chance alone. A look at the results implies that juniors donÕt feel a lack of sleep with affect their grades, and the freshman are most worried that little sleep will affect their grades. The juniors and sophomores fall in between the two, although closer to the freshman.

Oneway Analysis of Question 5 By Year
I donÕt sleep because I am away from my parents and donÕt have to.

Oneway Anova
Summary of Fit
Rsquare 0.052479
Adj Rsquare 0.012583
Root Mean Square Error 2.411056
Mean of Response 2.46
Observations (or Sum Wgts) 100
Analysis of Variance
Source DF Sum of Squares Mean Square F Ratio Prob > F
Year 4 30.58681 7.64670 1.3154 0.2699
Error 95 552.25319 5.81319
C. Total 99 582.84000
Means for Oneway Anova
Level Number Mean Std Error Lower 95% Upper 95%
FRESH 34 3.00000 0.4135 2.1791 3.8209
JUNIOR 15 1.73333 0.6225 0.4975 2.9692
SENIOR 16 2.68750 0.6028 1.4909 3.8841
SOPHOMORE 34 2.05882 0.4135 1.2379 2.8797
Std Error uses a pooled estimate of error variance
The graph shows how all the classes rate their parents influence on how much they sleep. There is a 26 percent chance that our results can be explained by chance alone, and this means that our results are not significant and that there is no distinctive difference between the classes. Combined, the classes do not feel that their lack of sleep is due to them being away from their parents, who, in the past, told them when to go to bed or gave them a curfew.

Year Sex Credit Hours Sleep Last night Average Weeknight Average Weekend Night 1 2 3 4 5 STUDY TALK TV GAMES WEB OTHER
FRESH F 13 6 8 10 1 1 4 8 6 X X
FRESH F 14 5 4 12 9 10 1 6 8 X X WALKING
FRESH F 14 6 6 5 5 2 1 2 4 X X X X Rehersal
FRESH F 14 7.5 8 10 2 1 10 10 1 X X X EXERCISE
FRESH F 15 1.5 5 5 1 5 7 5 4 X X X X
FRESH F 15 7 5 6 1 5 8 9 5 X X X
FRESH F 15 6.5 7 11 2 3 6 6 1 X X X X
FRESH F 15 7 8 9 6 5 9 8 1 X X X
FRESH F 16 6 6 11 8 9 10 9 4 X X X
FRESH F 16 9 7 5 2 8 10 10 5 X X X
FRESH F 16 6 8 10 4 8 10 10 1 X X
FRESH F 16 9.5 8 12 1 3 10 10 5 X X X
FRESH F 16 7 8 9 3 2 8 7 1 X X X X
FRESH F 16 7 9 9 5 8 9 9 2 X X X
FRESH F 17 7 4 6 6 3 9 7 2 X X X X
FRESH F 17 7 6 7 1 6 5 4 2 X X
FRESH F 17 7 7 9 8 8 10 10 8 X
FRESH F 17 7 7 5 8 8 10 10 1 X X X X PARTYING
FRESH F 17 8 8 10 1 3 8 8 1 X X X X X
FRESH F 18 8 6 7 3 7 10 8 2 X X
FRESH F 18 7.5 8 8 3 2 7 7 2 X X X
FRESH M 10 5 7 8 7 6 4 6 1 X X X
FRESH M 13 7 7 7 1 1 10 10 1
FRESH M 15 4 6 12 9 6 8 7 1 X X
FRESH M 15 8 6 8 6 6 7 7 4 X X X X X
FRESH M 15 5 7 9 5 8 5 8 9 X X
FRESH M 15 5 7 9 2 7 9 8 2 X X X X
FRESH M 16 9 8 11 8 2 10 8 7 X X
FRESH M 16 6 8 9 3 4 2 3 ` X X X X MUSIC
FRESH M 17 3 6 7 2 2 1 1 9 X X X X
FRESH M 17 5 7 10 2 3 7 6 3 X X X X X
FRESH M 17 8 8 9 1 1 1 8 1 X X
FRESH M 17 8 8 11 1 1 7 6 1 X X X X X
FRESH M 18 5 6 12 3 6 10 10 1M X X PRACTICING
FRESH M 18 7 7 9 8 3 7 7 1 X X X X
FRESH M 20 6 6 8 8 7 7 4 1 X X X
FRESH M 6.5 7.5 8 4 5 6 9 1 X X
SOPH F 12 8.5 8 10 3 1 9 9 1 X X X X X Meetings, BF
SOPH F 14 4 5 10 1 5 9 8 1 X X X X
SOPH F 14 7 8 10 2 1 5 3 1 X X X
SOPH F 15 11.5 5 10 2 4 7 8 2 X X AIM
SOPH F 15 8 6 10 7 6 6 7 2 X
SOPH F 15 6 8 10 7 3 9 9 2 X X X X
SOPH F 15 9 8 10 4 9 9 7 1 X X X
SOPH F 15 9 8 8 1 1 6 9 1 X X X X
SOPH F 15 6 15 7 9 9 8 1 X X X
SOPH F 16 8 5 6 8 6 8 7 4 X X X
SOPH F 16 9 6 9 6 7 6 6 3 X X X
SOPH F 16 7 6 8 1 5 9 7 1 X X X AIM
SOPH F 16 6 6 5 8 6 4 10 1 X X
SOPH F 16 7 8 8 1 1 5 5 1 X X X
SOPH F 17 4 7 4 8 4 1 3 10 X X X
SOPH F 17 5 7 9 8 10 8 1 X
SOPH F 18 6 8 9 9 6 9 9 1 X X X
SOPH F 19 7 9 10 6 8 9 10 1 X X X X Web Games/ Meetings
SOPH F 20 8.5 5 8 6 7 9 7 3 X X AIM
SOPH F 5 6 4 9 7 9 6 5 X X X X Out
SOPH M 13 9 6 10 6 4 8 8 2 X X AIM
SOPH M 15 6.5 5 8 6 2 7 8 2 X X X X
SOPH M 16 8 6 8 6 4 6 6 2 X X X DRINKING
SOPH M 16 7 7 7 4 6 7 6 2 X X X X CHURCH
SOPH M 16 6 9 12 1 8 10 8 1 X X X GOING OUT
SOPH M 17 7.25 7.5 10 7 6 10 8 1 X X
SOPH M 17.5 12.5 12 3 1 1 10 10 1 X X X X X DRUGS
SOPH M 19 8.5 7 6 2 4 5 6 1 X
SOPH M 6 5 8 10 1 1 5 1 X X X X X
SOPH M 8 6 10 1 8 2 3 1 X X GIRLS
SOPH M 12 7 9 4 2 2 2 1 X X X X
SOPH M 8.5 8 8 3 8 5 8 1 X
SOPH M 6 9 7 1 2 9 1 1 X X X
SOPH M 6 12 6 1 5 1 10 10 X GOING OUT
JUNIOR F 14 7 6 7 10 8 10 10 1 X X X X
JUNIOR F 16 3.5 6 10 1 9 7 8 1 X X
JUNIOR F 16 6 6 7 6 2 8 6 1 X X X
JUNIOR F 17 7 8 10 5 3 3 5 1 X X
JUNIOR F 17 8 8 6 4 1 7 7 6 X X
JUNIOR F 18 6 6 8 8 5 10 6 1 X ORGANIZING FOR CLASS
JUNIOR F 18 7 7 9 4 5 4 4 1 X X X
JUNIOR F 18 6 7 12 3 4 10 8 2 X X
JUNIOR M 15 6 6 8 3 5 3 4 5 Gilling
JUNIOR M 16 6 7 5 7 8 8 6 2 X
JUNIOR M 17 5 6 4 1 4 8 8 1 X X X
JUNIOR M 18 5 6 10 3 5 5 3 1 X X X
JUNIOR M 19 4 8 10 3 3 10 3 1 X X X X X PARTYING
JUNIOR M 22 3.5 4 7 9 3 4 3 1 X X
JUNIOR M 6.5 7 9 1 1 5 7 1 X X X
SENIOR F 12 5.5 7 8 1 4 7 5 1 X X X X
SENIOR F 12 4 9 8 1 1 10 9 1 X X
SENIOR F 13 6.5 6 6 1 7 5 9 3 X X
SENIOR F 15 7 5 5 1 4 6 7 9 X X X
SENIOR F 15 7 6 8 1 7 8 9 6 X
SENIOR F 15 5 7 10 6 4 7 7 1 X X
SENIOR F 16 7 8 10 1 5 10 9 10 X X
SENIOR F 16 8 7 9 4 2 9 10 1 X X
SENIOR F 17 7 6.5 8 2 5 6 7 1 X X X
SENIOR M 14 7 8 8 4 8 9 9 1 X X X X
SENIOR M 15 6 7 9 8 7 8 5 3 X GOING OUT
SENIOR M 15 5 6 8 2 5 3 4 1 X
SENIOR M 15 7 7.5 8 1 5 3 6 1 X X X
SENIOR M 16 6 6 8 3 6 9 3 1 X X X X X
SENIOR M 7 8 9 2 3 7 9 2 X X
SENIOR M 5.5 6 8 8 6 8 1 1 X X X

Results of Focus Groups
According to our data the sophomores are getting more sleep than any other class, and we decided to follow up our study with a look at the Òsophomore slumpÓ and see if our research related to that of Lemons and Richmond, 1987.
One hundred percent of the sophomores surveyed for focus groups felt the Òsophomore slumpÓ exists. Of them, 2/3, or sixty-six percent, felt they had fallen into it, mostly because the newness of college had warn off, and they still had to complete classes that did not directly pertain to their major. There was no majority response on how to get out of the slump, but ideas ranged from getting a break, changing schedules, and getting motivated. Once again, 2/3 of the sophomores who are experiencing the slump feel they are getting more sleep as a result.

Conclusion
Our Results

Our research provided us with information about how college students in general are lacking in sleep but failed to specify any further, especially since the Lemons and Richmond, 1987, article did not address the issue of sophomores and sleeping patterns. Therefore, we based our hypothesis about freshman receiving the least amount of sleep on our own beliefs as opposed to what different research showed. This is mainly because hardly any of the research pointed to a specific class (freshman, etc) getting more or less sleep than another. Our research only discussed the lack of sleep in college in general.
Our results, therefore, were slightly surprising to us. Although we felt the reasoning for our hypothesis was rational, we were appeased that the results hinted at a possibility of a ÒSophomore SlumpÓ like they did, especially since one of our articles had adimently spoken on that topic. Aside from sophomores, however, all other classes received about the same amount of sleep, although all were below the recommended eight hours a night.
One possible reason as to why we obtained the results we did is because we administered our surveys on a Friday. This means that we ran the chance of having a greater number of people fill out the surveys after having gone out Thursday night. With that in mind, we believe that some of the participants may have underestimated how much sleep they receive nightly because of their lack thereof from the previous night. Unfortunately, we did not ask the participants if they did go out the night before, so we were unable to distinguish their answers from people that may not have gone out and been up late. We feel that this was probably to our disadvantage because we were unable to see if this affected our results and, then, in what manner. We are unsure if this finding may have guided our results in a different direction, but we would have liked to have foreseen this factor so that we could have adjusted our survey accordingly.
On a different note, we feel that our consideration for most other factors was effective. We feel that it was important that we purposefully asked for the current year of the student. This allowed us to compare the sleep patterns between years, which then revealed the data suggesting the ÒSophomore Slump.Ó If we had just asked for a differentiation between freshman and non-freshman we would not have been able to look at classes individually and make the connection with the sophomores.

Beyond the Project

We found our research very comparable to that which others before us have done. Some of the top factors contributing to a lack of sleep include the use of the internet, television, the fact that one is living in a dorm so he/she is constantly around others, thus allowing for longer socialization periods than if he/she were at home. These findings correlate back research by Anderson, PhD. 2001, a study conducted at Seattle Pacific University, and Tahan and Hance 1995, to name a few. Similarly, our findings point to college students receiving, on average, between 6 and 7 hours of sleep a night, which, like all other research has indicated (i.e. Pilcher et al, 1997), is below the necessary amount needed in order to function properly and stay healthy.
Additional questions we pose relate to other information gathering techniques. We wonder if we had done sleep journals if the results would have led to a different conclusion or would have more convincingly pointed to the apparent ÒSophomore SlumpÓ?

Future Investigations

We might suggest to anyone wishing to further pursue this study, that they find a group of people in all grades willing to keep nightly sleep journals. This will help insure that the data collected is accurate and not the participantsÕ assumed estimation. Also, maybe data (surveys) should be collected on a weeknight (Tues/Wed) and/or a weekend night to see how the answers vary and what they suggest. That is due to the fact that conducting surveys on Friday causes one to receive participants whose mentalities are split between that of a weekday and weekend because some people went out Thursday night and some didnÕt. Also, in addition to asking for oneÕs major, ask for the department of that major so that one could make possible correlations between sleep patterns and departments, because not enough surveys were distributed to successfully compare the wide variety of majors. Another point, when asking for how much students agree with a statement, divide the scale into exact categories (ex 1- strongly disagree, 2 Ð disagree, 3 Ð not sure/ no opinion, 4 Ð agree, 5 Ð strongly agree) as opposed to a vague one (ex. 1 Ð stongly disagree and 10 Ð strongly agree) because it causes the person reviewing the surveys to guess at what a Ò7Ó, for example, means. Otherwise, we feel we successfully predicted and accommodated a vast amount of variable in our research.

Bibliography
http://www.news.cornell.edu/releases/March97/drowsy.hrs.html
http://www.naplesnews.com/03/09/neapolitan/d960229a.htm

http://www.uvm.edu/~avarney/sleep_deprivation.htm

http://www.gettysburg.edu/college_life/counseling/sleep.html

http://www.apa.org/monitor/may01/internetdep.html

http://wildcat.arizona.edu/papers/old-wildcats/fall95/November/November27,1995/07_1_m.html

http://www.acsm.org/publications/newsreleases2003/exercisesleep060603.htm

http://agnews.tamu.edu/dailynews/stories/CFAM/Jul2001a.htm

http://www.nd.edu/~frswrite/mcpartlin/2003/gutierrez.shtml

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http://www.inform.umd.edu/News/Diamondback/archives/2002/12/03/news8.html

Pilcher, June J., Walters, Amy S. (1997). How sleep deprivation affects psychological variables to college studentsÕ cognitive performance. Journal of American College Health, 07448481.

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