THE EFFECTS OF POOR SLEEPING HABITS TOWARDS THE ACADEMIC

PERFORMANCES

A Research Paper Presented to the

Senior High School Faculty of

Asian College of Technology International Educational Foundation

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for

Practical Research 01

(APLD 01)

BY:

Amacna, Liezel Rebay Amores, Caila Jane

Banuag, Vince A. Belleza, Joanna Marie

Encierto, Jamie Enero, Angelou

Pantaran Jr., Jefferson Xaviery Ranin, Christopher

Judith Gabuna

Adviser
 CHAPTER I

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE

Rationale

Senior High school life can be stressful but most memorable experience in everyone’s life.

At this stage, a person starts to develop from childishness to early adolescence. They become easily

distracted, vulnerable to temptations and several changes. But people around them are expecting

them to excel academically more than they do when they were younger.

Except that the policymakers should start high school classes later in the morning so that

the adolescents can get sufficient sleep in order to thrive both physically and academically.

Significant risks that come with lack of sleep includes higher rate of obesity and depression,

involvement to motor accidents as well as low quality of life.

School hours start too early preventing the students from getting the rest they need. Having

enough sleep is important for their health, safety, and academic performance as according to a

research done at Highschools Minnesota, Colorado at Wyoming, “Shifting the school day later in

the morning resulted a boost in attendance, test scores and grades in Math, English, Science, and

Social Studies.” They also saw decrease in tardiness, substance abuse, and symptoms of

depression.

Morning classes are valuable if you are a rare breed of a high school student… an earlybird!

But let’s face the fact that morning classes aren’t for everyone. Most students prefer to get up at

noon. Professor Russell Foster, Head of Circadian neuroscience in Oxford University said,

“Forcing teenagers to turn up to school in the morning could result in more errors, fewer memory,
reduced motivation and depression.” However, some teachers believe that students performed

better in the morning.

Nonetheless, to be clarified, the researchers have conducted a study to know the possible effects

of poor sleeping habits towards the academic performance of selected STEM students in Asian

College of Technology in order to find answers and identify the truth behind the said

speculations.

People should be open in anything which throws new light on the way of helping young

people develop their creative faculties.

Theoretical Background

In a study conducted by the UCSD School of Medicine and the Veterans Affairs

Healthcare System in San Diego in year 2000, they used functional magnetic resonance imaging

(MRI) technology As we know, sleep deprivation severely affects brain functions to monitor and

observe brain activity of sleep-deprived subjects performing simple verbal learning tasks. The

study showed that areas of the brain's prefrontal cortex in the sleepier subjects exhibited more

activity than less sleepier subjects. This is due to the fact that the brain would sometimes try to

compensate for the severe effects caused by lack of sleep. The temporal lobe, a brain area critical

in language processing, was activated during verbal learning in rested subjects but not in sleep

deprived subjects. However, the parietal lobe was not activated in rested subjects during the

verbal exercise but it was more active when the subjects were sleep-deprived. Although memory

task was less successful in the subjects with sleep deprivation, greater activity in the parietal

region indicated better memory.

In a 2001 study carried out by Chicago Medical Institute, the results indicated that poor

sleeping habits may be correlated to serious diseases, such as heart disease and mental illnesses

like psychosis and bipolar disorder. Moreover, study by University of California in year 2002

discovered that REM sleep was important for blocking neurotransmitters and allowing the

neurotransmitter receptors to "rest" and regain sensitivity which subsequently leads to better

regulation of mood and increased in learning ability. Non REM sleep may allow enzymes to

repair cell damage in brain caused by free radicals. High metabolic activity of the brain during

wakefulness damages the enzymes, which in turn prevent the efficient repair of damaged cells.

The study observed that sleep deprivation causes brain damage in rats. Animal studies also
suggest that sleep deprivation increases stress hormones that reduce new cell production in adult

brains.

In a research article by Martha Hansen (2005), he initiated a study to examine the impact

of starting school on adolescent sleep, to compare weekday and weekend sleep times, and to

attempt to normalize the timing of the circadian sleep and wake cycle by administering bright

light in the morning. The main focus of this research was to contribute information to the

scientific community while educating students about research processes and their own sleep and

wake cycles and patterns. It was hypothesized that high school start times contributes to sleep

sacrifice among the teenagers.

Conceptual Background
 The figure above shows the connection of Poor Sleeping Habits and the Academic

Performances. This part of the research will provide the process of how the researcher came up

with such concept. The framework was formulated in order for the researchers to know what are

the variables used that needs to be considered as factors that will affect the research. This is to

aware people on their Poor Sleeping Habits and to reduce the usage of it.
Statement of the Problem

This study entitled “The Effects of Poor Sleeping Habits Towards Academic
Performances” aims to investigate an after comes of Poor Sleeping Habits.

Specifically, the study must answer the following questions:

1. What are the effects of sleep deprivation to the students and their academic performance?

2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of being sleep deprived in the academic
performance of selected STEM students in Asian College of Technology?

3. How does Poor Sleeping Habits affect the academic performances in terms of:

3.1 Grades

3.2 Performances

3.3 Activities

3.4 Attendance
Significance of the Study

The results of this study would be beneficial to the following

STEM STUDENTS OF ACT-IEF. In order for them to be aware and to reduce their poor

sleeping habits despite their grades to be maintained.

FUTURE RESEARCHERS. This study would help future researchers to be aware and

knowledgeable about poor sleeping habits. It would help them to be a better analyst and it can be

a help as a reference for more studies in the future.

RESEARCHERS. The findings of the study will help to develop their cognitive, affective, and
psychomotor domain in terms of conducting research.

SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION. This study could help the school to find out what is needed to
improve the school schedule.

TEACHERS. The study could help the teachers to understand the effects of sleep deprivation in
the academic performance of their students and may serve as an eye opener on how they handle
them.