College Student Napping, Sleep, and Well Being

According to a 2013 Gallup poll (Jones, 2013), approximately 50% of adults aged 18 to 29 sleep fewer than 6 hours per night. An increasing number of colleges and universities are creating napping areas on campus to accommodate sleepy students, with some creating “Energy Pods” that schools have incorporated into their buildings where students can relax and nap (Waxman, 2014). Though sleep deprived students frequently suffer from compromised physical and mental health as well as decreased academic performance (Orzek, 2011), it is not clear the extent to which naps are the appropriate solution. Further complicating the question is whether the benefits of napping depend on the nap duration and when the nap is taken relative to nighttime sleep. One primary purpose of this study is purely exploratory and descriptive as we will examine the association between possible drivers of napping behaviors such as work-school conflict, and total number of hours employed. We will explore potential consequences of napping by correlating napping frequency, duration and timing on well-being and happiness. Finally, controlling for nighttime sleep quality and quantity, we will examine whether nappers versus non-nappers report enhanced or compromised well-being and happiness