Quantifying sleep and performance of West Point cadets: a baseline study

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Authors
Neverosky, Daniel Thomas
Kenney, Aileen
Subjects
Sleep deprivation
Adolescents
College
Fatigue
Performance
Military
Student
Alertness
Learning
Memory
Morningness
Eveningness
Advisors
Miller, Nita Lewis
Date of Issue
2004-06
Date
June 2004
Publisher
Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School
Language
Abstract
This study reports the initial findings of a four-year longitudinal study undertaken to assess the total amount of sleep received by cadets at the United States Military Academy. Specifically, data on the Class of 2007 were collected and analyzed during the freshman year. Survey data were collected (n=1290) on sleep habits prior to the cadets reporting to the Academy. Actigraphy data were collected (n=80) during summer military training and during the Fall academic semester. Survey data were analyzed using two different methods to determine total amount of sleep prior to reporting to the Academy ( x =8.5 hrs, s.d.=1.7 hrs; x =7.76 hrs, s.d.=1.46 hrs). Actigraphy data revealed that cadets received much less nighttime sleep (naps not included) during the Fall academic semester than they reported receiving in the month before CBT (total: x =5.32 hrs, s.d.=35.3 mins; school nights: x =4.86 hrs, s.d.= 37.4 mins; non-school nights: x =6.56 hrs, s.d.=64.4 mins). Using morningness/eveningness chronotypes, owls and non-owls differed significantly along the following dimensions: cadet attrition (z=2.66, p=0.0039), fall term academic quality point average (t=3.92, p<0.001), military program score (t=5.169, p<0.001), and physical program score (t=3.295, p=0.001). Suggestions for additional analysis of existing and subsequent data are proposed.
Type
Thesis
Description
Series/Report No
Department
Operations Research (OR)
Organization
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
Sponsors
United States Military Academy, West Point, NY
Funder
Format
xvi, 87 p.
Citation
Distribution Statement
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.
Collections