Date of Award

Spring 2013

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Psychology and Behavioral Sciences

First Advisor

Walter Buboltz

Abstract

College students suffer from more sleep disturbances than the general population. Sleep difficulties can lead to lower levels of performance, memory, and cognitive ability. Sleep quality is known to impact individuals' physical and psychological health. The relationship between sleep variables (i.e., sleep quality, sleep length, sleepiness, and a nap/relaxation) and physical performance (i.e., flexibility, grip strength, and peak performance) has not been fully examined. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between sleep quality, sleep length, and sleepiness and physical performance (e.g., flexibility, grip strength, and peak power), as well as to determine if a short nap diminishes the effect of poor sleep on the same physical performance measures.

Participants of this study were students at a mid-sized southern United States university who were recruited from classes in the College of Education. The relationship between sleep quality, length, and sleepiness and flexibility, grip strength, vertical jump height, and peak power was assessed using the Sleep Quality Index, the Adult Sleep-Wake Scale, the Sleep Habits Questionnaire, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale, hand dynamometer, vertical jump test, and sit-and-reach box. A two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted to determine the effect of a nap/relaxation on flexibility, grip strength, vertical jump height, and peak power, with gender as an independent variable. Correlations were also conducted to determine the relationship between sleep quality, sleep duration, and sleepiness and flexibility, grip strength, and peak power.

Download

Share

COinS