Sleep Deprivation among College Students

Experimental Design

Researchers often utilize experimental methods to study the causes of human and animal behavior. This experiment looks at the effect of increased physical activity on sleep quality among college students. Observations of fluctuating sleep patterns among my roommates inspired this study. The hypothesis is that increasing physical activity levels will improve sleep quality among college students.

The independent variable in this study is the level of physical activity, measured by the duration and intensity of exercise. The dependent variable is the quality of sleep, assessed through sleep duration and subjective sleep quality ratings. The study will involve 60 college students, aged 18-25, who report experiencing varying levels of sleep quality.

Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: an experimental group and a control group. The experimental group, consisting of 30 participants, will engage in a structured physical activity program that includes 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise five days a week for eight weeks. The control group, also consisting of 30 participants, will maintain their usual routines without any additional exercise intervention. Random assignment will be used to ensure each participant has an equal chance of being placed in either group, minimizing selection bias (Styles & Torgerson, 2018).

The procedure will begin with a baseline assessment where all participants complete a questionnaire on their current physical activity levels and sleep quality using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) (Buysse et al., 1989). Following this, the experimental group will commence the prescribed exercise regimen while the control group continues their usual activities. Throughout the eight-week period, participants will maintain a daily sleep diary and wear fitness trackers to record sleep patterns and physical activity levels. At the end of the study, participants will retake the PSQI and undergo a follow-up interview to discuss any changes in sleep quality and overall well-being.

The expected results are that the experimental group will report significant improvements in both objective sleep duration and subjective sleep quality compared to the control group. This outcome would support the hypothesis that increased physical activity positively affects sleep quality (Taheri, 2006). Conversely, the control group is expected to show little to no change in sleep quality, reinforcing the link between physical activity and improved sleep (Buman & King, 2010).

References

American College of Sports Medicine. (2018). ACSM's guidelines for exercise testing and

prescription (10th ed.). Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer.