0262 Large Magnitude Delay in Sleep Across the Transition to College Explained in Part by High School Sleep "Struggles". (27th April 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wolfson, A R; Futterman, A; Gredvig, C; Barker, D; Carskadon, M A
• Is Part Of: Sleep. Volume 41(2018)Supplement 1
• Page Start: A101
• Page End: A101
• Publication Date: 2018-04-27
• Subjects: Sleep -- Physiological aspects -- Periodicals; Sleep disorders -- Periodicals; Sommeil -- Aspect physiologique -- Périodiques; Sommeil, Troubles du -- Périodiques; Sleep disorders; Sleep -- Physiological aspects; Sleep -- physiological aspects; Sleep Wake Disorders; Psychophysiology; Electronic journals; Periodicals; 616.8498
• DOI: 10.1093/sleep/zsy061.261
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0161-8105

Abstract

Abstract: Introduction: Many high school students report late bedtimes due to sleep homeostatic and circadian bioregulatory changes and insufficient sleep due to school start time constraints. In college, most students have greater freedom to shape daily routines including sleep schedules.This study examined predictors of the shift from high school to college sleep schedules. Methods: 515 (55% female, 51% Caucasian, 12% international) participants, accepting admission into Brown University (mean age=18.07, SD= .33), completed a survey in May of their final high school term, including school-night, non-school-night sleep schedules, Horne-Östberg MEQ, and such sleep "struggle" items as, "in the past two weeks, how often have you arrived late to class because you overslept?" Students also reported sleep timing and MEQ in November of their first college term. Variables for both times included: school-, non-school-night time in bed (TIB), TIB midpoints for school, non-school nights. Results: Paired-samples t-tests demonstrated that participants' midpoint TIB was delayed by approximately 2 hours for school (2:02 vs. 4:04am, t=-44.36, p=.00) and non-school (3:57 vs. 5:40am, t=-33.20, p=.00) nights, corresponding with increased evening preference on MEQ (48.69 vs. 45.25, t=12.67, p=.00). School-night TIB was unchanged on average; non-school night TIB decreased: 8.9 to 8.3 hours (t= 8.67, p=.00). Multiple regression analyses for both school-night and non-school night TIB midpoints showed that TIB delay was associated in part with high school sleep "struggles:" awakened too early, slept past noon, late to class because overslept, stayed up until 3am. Overall effect sizes though significant were small (school-night TIB delay F=2.59, R 2 =.10, p=.006; non-school night TIB delay F=2.10, R=.04, p=.028). Conclusion: Findings indicate that, first-year college students' sleep-wake schedules delay an average of 2 hours from high school, while maintaining school-night TIB. The significant delay in timing of sleep across the high school to college transition was partially explained by high school sleep "struggles, " most of which indicated difficulty with late and insufficient sleep. Support (If Any): Sleep Research Society Foundation Elliot D. Weitzman, M.D., Research Grant; NIMH MH079179.