The effects of sleep on performance of undergraduate students working in the hospitality industry as compared to those who are not working in the industry

Abstract

<p>The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of sleep on academic performance and job performance. A total of 172 undergraduate students completed an on-line questionnaire and their GPAs were obtained from the registrar's office. Participants were divided into three groups based on their employment status as follows: students who worked in the hospitality industry, students who worked in other industries, and students not working. Data were analyzed using t-tests, principal component analysis, and stepwise regression. In general, the results indicated that sleep habits were consistent with delayed sleep phrase syndrome, a common sleep problem in college students. Also, sleep latency and sleep medicine were negatively correlated with GPAs; and sleep quality was significantly related to job performance. Troubled sleep and work schedules may be two of the reasons for low academic performance and job performance among students working in the hospitality industry but no significant differences were found between the three groups. Educators and employers need to be cognizant of the importance of sleep for success in academic performance and job performance. Recommendations for future research are discussed.</p>