Comparison of Sleep Deprivation Effects in Student Athletes and Non-Athletes (Preliminary Results)

The effects of exercise and sleep in college athletes have been studied for the past 50yrs. (1). This study examined the effect of 24hrs sleep deprivation on reaction time (RT) and memory recall of words (MR) in student athletes and student non-athletes. Recent research has shown that collegiate athletes are at higher risk for lack of sleep and feelings of exhaustion than non-athletes (2). While 8-9hrs sleep per night is needed in young adults (21-30yrs old), the average sleep duration is only 6.7hrs/nt (3,4). Even a brief period of sleep deprivation can significantly affect cognitive performance, including attention-intensive performance such as omission errors, short term working memory, and learning capacity, as well as producing longer response times (4). Measurable impairment of cognitive responses occur with as little as 16hrs of sleep deprivation (4), and the level of impairment may increase to rival that of alcohol (5). Individual differences (genetic, learning) may also influence results, increasing variability (4,6). Normal sleep habits can have a significant detrimental effect on overall mood (4) and academic performance in college students, and this effect may be intensified in college athletes who must maintain demanding training and study schedules. Hypothesis: Sleep deprivation will produce different responses for RT and MR in college athletes compared with non-athletes