The Effect of Sleep Extension on Academic Performance, Cognitive Functioning and Psychological Distress in Adolescents

摘要: Previous research has shown that insufficient sleep at night and daytime sleepiness contributes to psychological distress, cognitive deficiencies and poor academic performance. The current study examines the effect of nighttime sleep extension on sleep, psychological health, academic performance and cognitive functioning in a sample of adolescents with complaints of daytime sleepiness and insufficient nighttime sleep. Participants were 56 adolescents (34 females) aged 14 - 18 (Mean age = 16.46). Participants were given daily sleep diaries and actiwatch during an initial interview. Sleepiness, psychological, academic and cognitive assessments were completed after one week of sleep data collection. The participants were randomly assigned to either extend their sleep for at least 60 minutes on three consecutive school nights or continue with their normal sleep schedule. After the sleep extension the same battery of tasks were completed. Baseline and post-intervention sleep, psychological, academic and cognitive data included daily sleep diaries, the Pediatric Daytime Sleepiness Scale (PDSS), State Trait Anxiety Scale - Short (STAI-S), AIMS reading comprehension and mathematic questions, digit span, verbal fluency, trail making and go/no go inhibition. Nineteen of those assigned to extendtheir sleep succeeded (M = 80.35 min.). Repeated measures ANOVAs were performed on sleep, psychological well being, academics and cognitive assessments to evaluate the sleep extension intervention. Interactions for the sleep variables found that Sleep Extenders decreased difficulty in waking in the morning and daytime sleepiness, increased time in bed, total sleep time and sleep efficiency more than Non-Sleep Extenders, (all p