Examine Sleep Deprivation among Adolescents: Evidence from a Selected Chinese High School in Johor, Malaysia

Sleep is a fundamental biological need essential for health and well-being. Adolescents are especially vulnerable to the effects of sleep deprivation due to rapid developmental changes and increasing academic demands. This study aims to examine sleep deprivation problems among adolescents in a selected Chinese high school in Johor, Malaysia. The study employs a quantitative approach using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). data were collected from 254 students aged 13 to 17. The findings revealed that 65.7% of the students were affected by sleep deprivation as measured by a Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) global score >5. Key contributing factors include academic workload, screen time, irregular sleep patterns, and psychological stress. The study underscores the importance of school-based and family-level interventions to promote healthy sleep behaviours among adolescents.

Sleep deprivation, adolescents, academic stress and secondary school

1. American Academy of Pediatrics. (2014). School start times for adolescents. Pediatrics, 134(3), 642–649. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2014-1697 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. American Academy of Pediatrics. (2016). Sleep and technology: How digital devices affect sleep in adolescents. Pediatrics, 138(6), e20163019. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. Alfano, C. A., & Gamble, A. L. (2009). Sleep and academic performance in children and adolescents. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 13(6), 451-461. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. Basch, C. E. (2014). Sleep and academic performance. Journal of School Health, 84(2), 63-67. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. Bartel, K. A. (2018). Sleep and mental health in adolescents: The influence of sleep patterns on well-being. Sleep Health, 4(4), 295-300. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. Becker, S. P., Sidol, C. A., Sidol, C. A., & Fite, P. J. (2013). Sleep and mental health in adolescents: The influence of sleep patterns on well-being. Sleep Health, 4(4), 295-300. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. Beattie, L., Kyle, S. D., Espie, C. A., & Biello, S. M. (2015). Social interactions, emotion regulation, and mood during daily life: Examining the role of sleep. Sleep Health, 1(2), 121–127. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleh.2015.02.008 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. Brooks, F. (2015). Sleep and adolescents: A global perspective. British Medical Journal, 351, h6027. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

9. Bruce, J., Lunt, L., & McDonagh, J. (2017). The effects of sleep deprivation on cognitive development in adolescents. Pediatrics, 140(6), e20170515. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

10. Carskadon, M. A. (2011). Sleep in adolescents: The perfect storm. Pediatric Clinics, 58(3), 637–647. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pcl.2011.03.003 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

11. CDC. (2017, March 21). Drowsy Driving. Retrieved from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Chan, R., & Cheung, C. (2015). The relationship between sleep deprivation, anxiety, and depression among adolescents in Malaysia. Asian Journal of Psychiatry, 14, 103-108. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

12. Chung, M. H., Abdullah, A. S., & Mat Soad, A. Z. (2020). The influence of academic pressure on Malaysian secondary school students’ mental health. Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities, 28(2), 1251–1263.https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about_sleep/drowsy_driving.html#:~:text=Studies%20have%2 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

13. Curcio, G., Ferrara, M., & De Gennaro, L. (2006). Sleep loss, learning capacity, and academic performance. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 10(5), 323-337. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

14. Dahl, R. E. (2007). The impact of inadequate sleep on children and adolescents. Sleep Medicine, 8(3), 1-8. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

15. E.Brinkman, J., Reddy, V., & Sharma, S. (2022). Physiology of Sleep. Treasure Island, Florida: StatPearls Publishing. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

16. ewald-Kaufmann, J. F., Meijer, A. M., Oort, F. J., Kerkhof, G. A., & Boivin, D. B. (2013). The influence of sleep quality, sleep duration, and sleepiness on academic performance in children and adolescents: A meta-analytic review. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 17(2), 143-149. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

17. Gradisar, M., Gardner, G., Dohnt, H., Marsh, H., & Anderson, D. (2013). Recent worldwide trends in adolescent sleep duration: A meta-analysis. Sleep Medicine, 14(1), e14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2013.11.007 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

18. H.Schmidt, M. (2014). The energy allocation function of sleep: Aunifying theory of sleep, torpor, and continuous wakefulness. Neuroscience and Biobehavioural Reviews, 122-153. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

19. HV, N., T, M., J, B., & M, M. (2013). Autditory closed-loop stimulation of the sleep slow oscillation enhances memory. Neuron, 545-553. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

20. Jaafar, S. (2018). National Sleep Survey: The state of sleep in Malaysia. Am Life International Sdn Bhd. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

21. Jalil, S., Musa, R. M., & Abdullah, M. R. (2021). Sleep quality and academic performance among Malaysian adolescents: A cross-sectional study. Malaysian Journal of Public Health Medicine, 21(1), 1–8. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

22. Kate Bartel, C. R. (2018). Sleep and Mental Wellbeing: Exploring the links. Melbourne: Victorian Health Promotion Foundation. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

23. Kreager, D. A., Fagan, A. A., & O'Connell, D. (2019). The impact of sleep deprivation on adolescent health outcomes. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 60(1), 92-108. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

24. L, M., H, H., M, M., & J, B. (2006). Boosting slow oscillations during sleep potentiates memory. Nature, 610-613. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

25. Lee, S., Choi, H. S., & Lee, Y. S. (2017). The effects of family environment on adolescent sleep. Child Health Nursing Research, 23(2), 103-111. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

26. Lemola, S., Perkinson-Gloor, N., Brand, S., Dewald-Kaufmann, J. F., & Grob, A. (2015). Adolescents' sleep patterns and psychological functioning: A mediation model linking sleep to academic performance. Journal of Adolescence, 45, 45–54. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2015.07.004 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

27. Leone, M. J., & Sigman, M. (2020). Effects of screen exposure on the sleep patterns of adolescents: A systematic review. Sleep Medicine, 76, 38–47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2020.09.003 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

28. LeBourgeois, M. K., Hale, L., Chang, A. M., & Montgomery-Downs, H. E. (2017). Digital media and sleep in childhood and adolescence. Pediatrics, 140(5), e20170330. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

29. Liu, J., Qu, Z., & Zhang, X. (2021). Academic stress and sleep deprivation in Chinese adolescents: The role of academic pressures and lifestyle factors. Sleep Health, 7(4), 382-389. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

30. McCue, M. (2019). The state of sleep among Canadian adolescents. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 110(6), 800-806. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

31. NA, P., Santostasi G, Malkani RG, Braun R, Weintraub A, Paller KA, & Zee PC. (2017). Acoustic enhancement of sleep slow oscillations and concomitant memory improvement in older adults. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 1-14. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

32. Otsuka, Y., et al. (2021). Trends in sleep patterns and mental health among Japanese adolescents. Pediatrics International, 63(7), 728-733. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

33. People, H. (2022, June 02). Sleep Health. Retrieved from Healthy People.gov: https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/sleep-health#top [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

34. Shochat, T., Cohen-Zion, M., & Tzischinsky, O. (2014). Functional consequences of inadequate sleep in adolescents: A systematic review. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 18(1), 75–87. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2013.03.005 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

35. Short, M., Blunden, S., Rigney, G., & Dawson, D. (2018). The impact of sleep on adolescent learning and development. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 39, 52-59. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

36. Simons, R. D., & Heaton, S. C. (2015). Sleep and cognitive performance: The relationship between sleep and cognitive performance in adolescents. Journal of Adolescent Health, 57(3), 261-268. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

37. Tan, Y., & Cheong, M. (2019). Adolescent sleep deprivation in Malaysia: Causes and consequences. International Journal of Adolescent Health, 11(4), 322-330. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

38. Steptoe, A., Victoria Peacey, L., & Wardle, J. (2006). Sleep duration and health outcomes in a national sample of adolescents. Journal of Health Psychology, 11(4), 563-571. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

39. Suni, E. (2021, March 10). How much sleep do we really need? Retrieved from Sleep Foundation: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/how-much-sleep-do-we-really- [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

40. Van den Berg, J. F., Kallweit, U., & Veenstra, M. (2020). The relationship between sleep habits and mental health in adolescents. Journal of Sleep Research, 29(1), 103-113. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

41. Wheaton, A. G., Ferro, G. A., & Croft, J. B. (2015). School start times for middle school and high school students—United States, 2011–12 school year. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 64(30), 809-812. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

42. Wheaton, A. G., Ferro, G. A., & Croft, J. B. (2016). School start times for middle and high school students—United States, 2011–12 school year. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 64(30), 809-812. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

43. Xie, L., Kang, H., Xu, Q., J.Chen, M., Liao, Y., Thiyagarajan, M., . . . Nedergaard, M. (2013). Sleep Drives Metabolite Clearance from the Adult Brain. Science, 373-377. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

44. Zhang, J., et al. (2016). The prevalence of insomnia and associated risk factors in adolescents. Hong Kong Journal of Psychiatry, 26(2), 62-68. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• Effectiveness of Learning PEMDAS through Game-Based Learning for Primary Students