Nap Shacks
Shana Estahbanaty Email: [email protected] Phone: 408-313-3185 15October2015
Associated Students Finance Committee 408-924-6242
Nap Shacks To promote healthy sleep practices across campus
Abstract: It has been proven that sleep deprivation can cause a lowering in cognitive skills and information retention in college students. Sleeplessness can also cause a drop in productivity and job performance. In general, pulling all-nighters or consistently not getting adequate sleep can lead to major health issues in students. The University of Michigan in Ann Ardor is one of the newest universities taking steps to eliminate the dangers of sleep deprivation. Other universities that have already incorporated or are considering incorporating nap rooms on campus are The University of Colorado at Boulder and Harvard University. Being a commuter school, San José State University would benefit greatly from having “Nap Shacks” placed in designated areas on campus in order to promote students to stay on campus to study, to have a place to rest during study breaks, and help with the perpetual sleep deprivation students experience throughout the semester, especially during midterms and finals.
Problem Statement and Background Information Sleep is a very important factor in the lives and health of students, not only at SJSU but across all campuses. Lack of sleep has been proven to contribute to lowered cognitive skills and information retention ability in students. The lack of sleep students experience as a result of school, studying, and pulling all-nighters can also affect their productivity and performance at work. Sleep loss has been associated with depression, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer disease, burnout, obesity, and has been found to have many other negative effects on behavioral and physiological functions. As a result of these health issues that may arise from sleep deprivation, some universities have begun to incorporate the prototype stages of nap rooms, or “snooze rooms” as they’re called at the University of Michigan in Ann Ardor, that are available for free to students on campus. Other universities that are beginning to incorporate, or are discussing the incorporation of these nap rooms, are the University of Colorado at Boulder and Harvard University. Being a commuter school, some students travel as far as Hayward, Gilroy, and Hollister to attend SJSU, often times relying solely on public transportation. These students, as well as students who live closer to campus, would benefit greatly from having a clean and tranquil place where they can nap between classes and study breaks, especially for the long hours of studying during midterms and finals. While studying during these times of the semester, students can often get overwhelmed with projects, papers, and deadlines, not to mention jobs and other extracurricular activities that fill up their schedules and lead to sleep loss. Students who study while under the risks of sleep deprivation also do not process the information they are studying as well, creating projects and papers that are not very clear and concise. Their ability to retain the information they study is diminished by their lack of sleep, causing a possible lowering of their exam grades and GPAs in general. In a survey conducted on the SJSU campus during the fall 2015 semester, 62 students of differing demographics and disciplines were asked to rate their sleep deprivation during midterms and finals on a scale of 1 to 10; one being not sleep deprived at all, and 10 being extremely sleep deprived. Over 87% of students said they experienced above average sleep loss during these times of the semester, which are also the most crucial periods when it comes to the importance of cognitive skills, information retention abilities, and productivity (see next page for graph).
Midterms/Finals Sleep Deprivaion Extremely Sleep Deprived 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Not Sleep Deprived
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
Number of Students
Methods and Procedures In order to prevent the negative effects of sleep deprivation on students, I am proposing that SJSU provide Nap Shacks for students during the midterm and final periods of the semester. Companies like Google are currently creating MetroNap EnergyPods that are pods that provide a tranquil environment in the workspace for people to nap in order to increase productivity throughout the day. Such sleep pods created by Google and other companies can cost up to thousands of dollars. Instead, I propose a prototype stage of such sleeping environments called Nap Shacks. These Nap Shacks would take a few designated study rooms in the MLK library and transform them into Nap Shacks with dark drapes hanging around the glass walls in order to create a nap-happy environment. Rules and Procedures: •
Only available to SJSU students with Tower Cards
•
By appointment only using study room appointment computers on the first floor of the library
•
40-minute maximum nap
•
Tranquil and sanitary environment with disposable pillow cases
•
Each student is held responsible to wipe down sleeping mats after use with provided disinfectant wipes
It has been proven that naps can recharge your system, giving students brain-boosting benefits. The nap maximum is set at 40-minutes. The reason for this is that all someone needs to kick start the brainboosting benefits of napping is to take a 20-minute nap, which students are more than welcome to do if they are just looking to refresh and get back to studying. Taking a nap over 30-minutes will not only leave students refreshed but can also have positive effects on their decision-making skills, information retention, and memory. Taking a nap then getting back to studying is much more effective, beneficial, and healthy for students rather than running down to the coffee shop to chug yet another dose of caffeine. The effects of coffee on alertness do not last and in fact cause a decrease in memory performance when students are already tired. The only way for students to jumpstart their brains during laborious hours at the library are to take a nap that will refresh their minds and bodies.
Accessibility to these Nap Shacks would be limited to enrolled SJSU students, and would be provided starting the week before and of midterms and finals; about four weeks out of the semester. Although this would take away some of the study rooms for students to do group work, there are ample other places in the library and on campus for students to get together to do homework and study. On the other hand, there aren’t very many places students can go to nap quietly and safely between classes and during study breaks. For many of the students surveyed, sanitation was a concern. Students would be provided with pillows that have disposable pillowcases that they would change after their nap, and wipe down the cot with provided sanitation wipes. This would eliminate the need for extra staff members to deal with the up-keep of these rooms and help students help each other Despite concerns with sanitation 95% of the 62 students surveyed said they would be either curiously interested or very interested in having Nap Shacks available to them on campus during midterms and finals. (See graph on next page)
Student Interest in Campus Nap Shacks 40 35 30 25 Number of Students interested
20 15 10 5 0 Not Interested
Curiously Interested
Very Interested
Qualifications and Resources By the time I graduate in Spring 2016, I will have attended SJSU for three years. Prior to that, I have spent many years at Community Colleges around the Bay Area. During years of academia, sleep is one major factor that has constantly taken a backseat to school and work. As a result of this, I have had to deal with the consequences of sleep deprivation while studying and doing homework, in my classes, at work, and many other aspects of my life. I have experienced the negative effects of lowered cognitive skills and information retention that sleep deprivation and pulling all-nighters can have on behavioral and physiological functions. These negative effects due to sleep loss have been especially heightened during the periods of midterms and finals when at times I have had papers, projects, and exams due in the same week. Sometimes more than one of these genres has been due for one class on the same day. I live 20 minutes off-campus and sometimes will neglect my studies in order to go home and nap after class. Other times, I will jeopardize my sleep by going to the library after class in order to cram for exams, write essays, and/or read. While engaging in these sleep deprived study sessions I have resorted to napping with my head on a library desk, or just chugging a large coffee with an extra espresso shot just so I can fit in a few more hours at the library before taking the light rail home. Knowing the pains of these long hour, sleep deprived, caffeine driven study sessions, I want to help SJSU students thrive in their academics in a healthy way that doesn’t run risks to the health of their minds and bodies the way sleep loss and over caffeinating can.
Work Schedule The work schedule will include the periods before the Nap Shacks are constructed in order to promote them and spread the word across campus. It also includes the time it takes to set up the rooms. Week 1
This week would be allotted to spreading the word about Nap Shacks across
(2 weeks before
campus to induce an influx in use during midterms and finals. This would include
midterms/finals)
passing out flyers, word of mouth, and posting flyers on bulletin boards. The final day of this week would be used to hang up drapes in the converted study rooms, place out sleeping mats, pillows, disposable pillow cases, blankets, and disinfectant wipes. Since everything is lightweight, not much help will be needed to execute the production of the Nap Shacks. (Two people can do it safely with a stepping ladder)
Week 2
This is the week right before midterms or finals when students generally begin
(1 week before
their projects and studying. The Nap Shacks will officially open the Sunday of this
midterms/finals)
week and appointments will begin to be accepted using the study room computers on the first floor of MLK.
Week 3
This is the week of midterms or finals. Students will continue to have access to the
(Week of
Nap Shacks by appointment from the open to close of MLK.
midterms/finals) Week 4
This is the week after midterms and finals when Nap Shacks will no longer be
(Week after
available to students and will be dismantled.
midterms/finals)
Budget The budget for the Nap Shacks would include:
•
Blackout drapes
•
Sleeping mats
•
Pillows
•
Disposable pillow cases
•
Blankets
•
Disinfectant wipes
The budget for blackout drapes has been doubled to accommodate for four Nap Shacks. The cost of pillows has been multiplied by eight and blankets by ten so there are 100 pieces of each product. Not all will be used in the two-week period Nap Shacks will be open for midterms or finals but they are supplemental supplies in case they are needed in the instance of damage to a product, or they can be stored for future use. Items
Cost
Blackout Drapes
$123.00(2)
Amount Per cost 30-yards
Sleeping Mats
$79.98
Pillows
$21.00(8)
Disposable Pillow Cases
$49.98
Blankets
$77.99(10)
Disinfectant wipes
$44.89
420
1,368.75
Total
100 14 100 10
During the 2015-2016 school year, the Associated Students (A.S.) Finance Committee has set aside $250,000 for student services and organizations that would benefit SJSU students. The amount it would take to begin these prototype Nap Shacks is a minute fraction of the overall budget. The positive influence it would have on students during the high sleep deprived periods of midterms and finals would be greatly beneficial for their health and productivity at school and work.
For more information on the negative effects of sleep deprivation on students’ health, as well as information on other universities that have begun incorporating nap rooms on campus please visit: http://time.com/3211964/nap-rooms-at-universities/ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/22/university-of-michigan-nappingstations_n_5372500.html http://www.webmd.com/balance/features/the-secret-and-surprising-power-of-naps Chiang, Yu-Chih. "The Effects of Sleep on Academic Performance and Job Performance." College Student Journal 48.1 (Spring 2014). Web.
Associated Students Finance Committee 408-924-6242
Nap Shacks To promote healthy sleep practices across campus
Abstract: It has been proven that sleep deprivation can cause a lowering in cognitive skills and information retention in college students. Sleeplessness can also cause a drop in productivity and job performance. In general, pulling all-nighters or consistently not getting adequate sleep can lead to major health issues in students. The University of Michigan in Ann Ardor is one of the newest universities taking steps to eliminate the dangers of sleep deprivation. Other universities that have already incorporated or are considering incorporating nap rooms on campus are The University of Colorado at Boulder and Harvard University. Being a commuter school, San José State University would benefit greatly from having “Nap Shacks” placed in designated areas on campus in order to promote students to stay on campus to study, to have a place to rest during study breaks, and help with the perpetual sleep deprivation students experience throughout the semester, especially during midterms and finals.
Problem Statement and Background Information Sleep is a very important factor in the lives and health of students, not only at SJSU but across all campuses. Lack of sleep has been proven to contribute to lowered cognitive skills and information retention ability in students. The lack of sleep students experience as a result of school, studying, and pulling all-nighters can also affect their productivity and performance at work. Sleep loss has been associated with depression, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer disease, burnout, obesity, and has been found to have many other negative effects on behavioral and physiological functions. As a result of these health issues that may arise from sleep deprivation, some universities have begun to incorporate the prototype stages of nap rooms, or “snooze rooms” as they’re called at the University of Michigan in Ann Ardor, that are available for free to students on campus. Other universities that are beginning to incorporate, or are discussing the incorporation of these nap rooms, are the University of Colorado at Boulder and Harvard University. Being a commuter school, some students travel as far as Hayward, Gilroy, and Hollister to attend SJSU, often times relying solely on public transportation. These students, as well as students who live closer to campus, would benefit greatly from having a clean and tranquil place where they can nap between classes and study breaks, especially for the long hours of studying during midterms and finals. While studying during these times of the semester, students can often get overwhelmed with projects, papers, and deadlines, not to mention jobs and other extracurricular activities that fill up their schedules and lead to sleep loss. Students who study while under the risks of sleep deprivation also do not process the information they are studying as well, creating projects and papers that are not very clear and concise. Their ability to retain the information they study is diminished by their lack of sleep, causing a possible lowering of their exam grades and GPAs in general. In a survey conducted on the SJSU campus during the fall 2015 semester, 62 students of differing demographics and disciplines were asked to rate their sleep deprivation during midterms and finals on a scale of 1 to 10; one being not sleep deprived at all, and 10 being extremely sleep deprived. Over 87% of students said they experienced above average sleep loss during these times of the semester, which are also the most crucial periods when it comes to the importance of cognitive skills, information retention abilities, and productivity (see next page for graph).
Midterms/Finals Sleep Deprivaion Extremely Sleep Deprived 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Not Sleep Deprived
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
Number of Students
Methods and Procedures In order to prevent the negative effects of sleep deprivation on students, I am proposing that SJSU provide Nap Shacks for students during the midterm and final periods of the semester. Companies like Google are currently creating MetroNap EnergyPods that are pods that provide a tranquil environment in the workspace for people to nap in order to increase productivity throughout the day. Such sleep pods created by Google and other companies can cost up to thousands of dollars. Instead, I propose a prototype stage of such sleeping environments called Nap Shacks. These Nap Shacks would take a few designated study rooms in the MLK library and transform them into Nap Shacks with dark drapes hanging around the glass walls in order to create a nap-happy environment. Rules and Procedures: •
Only available to SJSU students with Tower Cards
•
By appointment only using study room appointment computers on the first floor of the library
•
40-minute maximum nap
•
Tranquil and sanitary environment with disposable pillow cases
•
Each student is held responsible to wipe down sleeping mats after use with provided disinfectant wipes
It has been proven that naps can recharge your system, giving students brain-boosting benefits. The nap maximum is set at 40-minutes. The reason for this is that all someone needs to kick start the brainboosting benefits of napping is to take a 20-minute nap, which students are more than welcome to do if they are just looking to refresh and get back to studying. Taking a nap over 30-minutes will not only leave students refreshed but can also have positive effects on their decision-making skills, information retention, and memory. Taking a nap then getting back to studying is much more effective, beneficial, and healthy for students rather than running down to the coffee shop to chug yet another dose of caffeine. The effects of coffee on alertness do not last and in fact cause a decrease in memory performance when students are already tired. The only way for students to jumpstart their brains during laborious hours at the library are to take a nap that will refresh their minds and bodies.
Accessibility to these Nap Shacks would be limited to enrolled SJSU students, and would be provided starting the week before and of midterms and finals; about four weeks out of the semester. Although this would take away some of the study rooms for students to do group work, there are ample other places in the library and on campus for students to get together to do homework and study. On the other hand, there aren’t very many places students can go to nap quietly and safely between classes and during study breaks. For many of the students surveyed, sanitation was a concern. Students would be provided with pillows that have disposable pillowcases that they would change after their nap, and wipe down the cot with provided sanitation wipes. This would eliminate the need for extra staff members to deal with the up-keep of these rooms and help students help each other Despite concerns with sanitation 95% of the 62 students surveyed said they would be either curiously interested or very interested in having Nap Shacks available to them on campus during midterms and finals. (See graph on next page)
Student Interest in Campus Nap Shacks 40 35 30 25 Number of Students interested
20 15 10 5 0 Not Interested
Curiously Interested
Very Interested
Qualifications and Resources By the time I graduate in Spring 2016, I will have attended SJSU for three years. Prior to that, I have spent many years at Community Colleges around the Bay Area. During years of academia, sleep is one major factor that has constantly taken a backseat to school and work. As a result of this, I have had to deal with the consequences of sleep deprivation while studying and doing homework, in my classes, at work, and many other aspects of my life. I have experienced the negative effects of lowered cognitive skills and information retention that sleep deprivation and pulling all-nighters can have on behavioral and physiological functions. These negative effects due to sleep loss have been especially heightened during the periods of midterms and finals when at times I have had papers, projects, and exams due in the same week. Sometimes more than one of these genres has been due for one class on the same day. I live 20 minutes off-campus and sometimes will neglect my studies in order to go home and nap after class. Other times, I will jeopardize my sleep by going to the library after class in order to cram for exams, write essays, and/or read. While engaging in these sleep deprived study sessions I have resorted to napping with my head on a library desk, or just chugging a large coffee with an extra espresso shot just so I can fit in a few more hours at the library before taking the light rail home. Knowing the pains of these long hour, sleep deprived, caffeine driven study sessions, I want to help SJSU students thrive in their academics in a healthy way that doesn’t run risks to the health of their minds and bodies the way sleep loss and over caffeinating can.
Work Schedule The work schedule will include the periods before the Nap Shacks are constructed in order to promote them and spread the word across campus. It also includes the time it takes to set up the rooms. Week 1
This week would be allotted to spreading the word about Nap Shacks across
(2 weeks before
campus to induce an influx in use during midterms and finals. This would include
midterms/finals)
passing out flyers, word of mouth, and posting flyers on bulletin boards. The final day of this week would be used to hang up drapes in the converted study rooms, place out sleeping mats, pillows, disposable pillow cases, blankets, and disinfectant wipes. Since everything is lightweight, not much help will be needed to execute the production of the Nap Shacks. (Two people can do it safely with a stepping ladder)
Week 2
This is the week right before midterms or finals when students generally begin
(1 week before
their projects and studying. The Nap Shacks will officially open the Sunday of this
midterms/finals)
week and appointments will begin to be accepted using the study room computers on the first floor of MLK.
Week 3
This is the week of midterms or finals. Students will continue to have access to the
(Week of
Nap Shacks by appointment from the open to close of MLK.
midterms/finals) Week 4
This is the week after midterms and finals when Nap Shacks will no longer be
(Week after
available to students and will be dismantled.
midterms/finals)
Budget The budget for the Nap Shacks would include:
•
Blackout drapes
•
Sleeping mats
•
Pillows
•
Disposable pillow cases
•
Blankets
•
Disinfectant wipes
The budget for blackout drapes has been doubled to accommodate for four Nap Shacks. The cost of pillows has been multiplied by eight and blankets by ten so there are 100 pieces of each product. Not all will be used in the two-week period Nap Shacks will be open for midterms or finals but they are supplemental supplies in case they are needed in the instance of damage to a product, or they can be stored for future use. Items
Cost
Blackout Drapes
$123.00(2)
Amount Per cost 30-yards
Sleeping Mats
$79.98
Pillows
$21.00(8)
Disposable Pillow Cases
$49.98
Blankets
$77.99(10)
Disinfectant wipes
$44.89
420
1,368.75
Total
100 14 100 10
During the 2015-2016 school year, the Associated Students (A.S.) Finance Committee has set aside $250,000 for student services and organizations that would benefit SJSU students. The amount it would take to begin these prototype Nap Shacks is a minute fraction of the overall budget. The positive influence it would have on students during the high sleep deprived periods of midterms and finals would be greatly beneficial for their health and productivity at school and work.
For more information on the negative effects of sleep deprivation on students’ health, as well as information on other universities that have begun incorporating nap rooms on campus please visit: http://time.com/3211964/nap-rooms-at-universities/ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/22/university-of-michigan-nappingstations_n_5372500.html http://www.webmd.com/balance/features/the-secret-and-surprising-power-of-naps Chiang, Yu-Chih. "The Effects of Sleep on Academic Performance and Job Performance." College Student Journal 48.1 (Spring 2014). Web.
