EFFECTS OF SLEEP DEPRIVATION ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS. A CASE STUDY OF IKPOBA.OKHA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, EDO STATE

ABSTRACT

It has been discovered that secondary school students in Ikpoba.Okha local government Area, Edo state have noticed some effects that sleep have on their academic performance over the years . This study therefore was to examine the effects that sleep has on a secondary school student's academic performance, general effects of sleep, factors that contribute to lack of sleep among students and strategies that can be applied by students to manage sleep patterns and habits. Five research questions were raised for the study and four hypotheses were tested at 0.05 significant level. The study adopted a survey design, the population comprised 400 senior secondary school students at Western Boys High school, Ikpoba-Okha. The sample size was 100, the purpose sampling technique was used in selecting the study sample. The study made use of questionnaire which was validated by experts. The reliability of the instrument was done using Cronnbach Alpha, and a 0.80 coefficient was obtained. Data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics. Findings showed a significant relationship between sleep deprivation and attention span, retention, and recall, as well as physiological and psychological health. Students defined sleep deprivation as getting fewer than eight hours of sleep and identified factors like poor diet, electronic device use, stress, and anxiety as contributors. The results revealed positive and significant effects that sleep has on the academic performance of students'. It was found that the more sleep that the students' receive, the higher their general performance rate. The results also show that lack of knowledge on how to manage activities as a student and not having a good sleep habit are the main causes of sleep deprivation among secondary school students. It was recommended that the Nigerian government to make psychological and physiological health education a priority in the national curriculum, and offer sufficient assistance to ensure a seamless incorporation of these essential life skills into education, ultimately enhancing the health, happiness, and academic achievement of students and provide necessary resources to facilitate a comprehensive and inclusive approach to promoting students' overall well-being and academic success. Staff training and development through seminar and conference could help improve general health literacy among staff of schools.