Sleep and Circadian Predictors of Academic Performance and Retention in STEM Pathways: A Longitudinal Study in University Freshmen
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| Title: | Sleep and Circadian Predictors of Academic Performance and Retention in STEM Pathways: A Longitudinal Study in University Freshmen |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Corinne L. Fitzsimmons (ORCID |
| Source: | Advances in Physiology Education. 2026 50(2):394-401. |
| Availability: | American Physiological Society. 9650 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20814-3991. Tel: 301-634-7164; Fax: 301-634-7241; e-mail: webmaster@the-aps.org; Web site: https://www.physiology.org/journal/advances |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 8 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Sponsoring Agency: | National Science Foundation (NSF) |
| Contract Number: | 1920730 1943323 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Higher Education Postsecondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Sleep, Predictor Variables, Academic Achievement, STEM Education, College Freshmen, Grade Point Average, Academic Persistence, Majors (Students) |
| Geographic Terms: | Texas |
| Assessment and Survey Identifiers: | Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, State Trait Anxiety Inventory, Raven Advanced Progressive Matrices |
| DOI: | 10.1152/advan.00313.2025 |
| ISSN: | 1043-4046 1522-1229 |
| Abstract: | Poor sleep health is common among university students, but there are diverging viewpoints on whether their sleep loss helps, harms, or has no impact on academic performance. We investigated whether sleep health markers in first-year university students predicted longitudinal academic outcomes when accounting for key variables. First-year university students who were pursuing a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) career pathway (n = 489) were recruited to complete a baseline session that included measures of global sleep quality, chronotype, daytime sleepiness, social jetlag (change in sleep timing from weekdays to weekends), demographics, mental health, and fluid intelligence (reasoning). At the end of year 1 and year 2, we extracted data on cumulative grade-point average (GPA), academic major change, STEM pathway change, and institutional withdrawal. After adjusting for demographic, mental health, and fluid intelligence factors, we observed that worse global sleep quality, evening chronotype, and worse social jetlag independently predicted year 1 GPA. Global sleep quality also predicted year 2 GPA, even when accounting for prior academic performance. Students with shorter sleep durations were more likely to switch from their STEM career pathway, even when accounting for academic performance, demographics, mental health, and fluid intelligence. In conclusion, sleep health markers are predictive of better future academic performance and retention in STEM pathways. There is a need for individual and environmental interventions to improve sleep health in first-year students and to determine causal direction. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Notes: | https://osf.io/jmavn |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1502785 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Poor sleep health is common among university students, but there are diverging viewpoints on whether their sleep loss helps, harms, or has no impact on academic performance. We investigated whether sleep health markers in first-year university students predicted longitudinal academic outcomes when accounting for key variables. First-year university students who were pursuing a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) career pathway (n = 489) were recruited to complete a baseline session that included measures of global sleep quality, chronotype, daytime sleepiness, social jetlag (change in sleep timing from weekdays to weekends), demographics, mental health, and fluid intelligence (reasoning). At the end of year 1 and year 2, we extracted data on cumulative grade-point average (GPA), academic major change, STEM pathway change, and institutional withdrawal. After adjusting for demographic, mental health, and fluid intelligence factors, we observed that worse global sleep quality, evening chronotype, and worse social jetlag independently predicted year 1 GPA. Global sleep quality also predicted year 2 GPA, even when accounting for prior academic performance. Students with shorter sleep durations were more likely to switch from their STEM career pathway, even when accounting for academic performance, demographics, mental health, and fluid intelligence. In conclusion, sleep health markers are predictive of better future academic performance and retention in STEM pathways. There is a need for individual and environmental interventions to improve sleep health in first-year students and to determine causal direction. |
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| ISSN: | 1043-4046 1522-1229 |
| DOI: | 10.1152/advan.00313.2025 |
