Comparing the sleep quality between STEM student athletes and non-athletes: An exploratory study

Abstract

This research studies the effect of physical activity on a STEM student's sleep quality through a comparison between STEM student athletes and non-athletes. A total population of sixty-three participants was surveyed and randomly sampled from the Grade 12 Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Strand of a private school for boys in the Philippines. The researchers gathered data using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (Buysse et al., 1989) that assesses the sleep quality of an individual through several components that produce a score ranging from 0–21 with a score of five and below indicating good sleep quality. Athletes obtained a mean score of 7.42 while non-athletes showed a mean score of 7.91. Based on the limited data gathered, it was concluded that both STEM student athletes and non-athletes do not receive good sleep quality despite the physical activity engaged by athletes. Furthermore, using the statistical test: Z Test for two sample means, the researchers concluded that there was no significant difference in the sleep quality of student athletes and non-athletes. The study tends to suggest that changes to students' lifestyles need to be considered to obtain a satisfactory performance in school work. The researchers recommend that other factors affecting a person's sleep quality be considered.