Quantifying sleep and performance of West Point cadets: a baseline study

• Main Authors: Neverosky, Daniel Thomas, Kenney, Aileen
• Other Authors: Miller, Nita Lewis
• Format: Others
• Published: Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School June
• Subjects: Physiology; Sleep deprivation; Fatigue; Military cadets; Adolescents; College; Performance; Military; Student; Alertness; Learning; Memory; Morningness; Eveningness
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10945/1565

Approved for public release, distribution is unlimited === This study reports the initial findings of a four-year longitudinal study undertaken to assess the total amount of sleep received by cadets at the United States Military Academy. Specifically, data on the Class of 2007 were collected and analyzed during the freshman year. Survey data were collected (n=1290) on sleep habits prior to the cadets reporting to the Academy. Actigraphy data were collected (n=80) during summer military training and during the Fall academic semester. Survey data were analyzed using two different methods to determine total amount of sleep prior to reporting to the Academy ( x =8.5 hrs, s.d.=1.7 hrs; x =7.76 hrs, s.d.=1.46 hrs). Actigraphy data revealed that cadets received much less nighttime sleep (naps not included) during the Fall academic semester than they reported receiving in the month before CBT (total: x =5.32 hrs, s.d.=35.3 mins; school nights: x =4.86 hrs, s.d.= 37.4 mins; non-school nights: x =6.56 hrs, s.d.=64.4 mins). Using morningness/eveningness chronotypes, owls and non-owls differed significantly along the following dimensions: cadet attrition (z=2.66, p=0.0039), fall term academic quality point average (t=3.92, p<0.001), military program score (t=5.169, p<0.001), and physical program score (t=3.295, p=0.001). Suggestions for additional analysis of existing and subsequent data are proposed. === United States Military Academy, West Point, NY === Ensign, United States Naval Reserve