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Teesside Students’ Union Snooze

Room Proposal

By Manon Goetschel

Teesside Students’ Union Vice-President Welfare

2014/2015

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Summary

This proposal recommends the provision of a ‘nap room’ on campus, a safe space where tired

students can have a nap so mitigating the effect of sleep deprivation.

Introduction

81% of Teesside students that were surveyed (see appendix 1) would see the benefit of having a nap

room on campus. Sleep deprivation has been a wide issue across the country, especially for students,

due to the academic demands and the cultural experience of their journey at university. The Students’

Union would like to ensure our students are fully enjoying their University experience at Teesside, but

also that their wellbeing is at the forefront.

The Students’ Union campaign about the importance of sleep ‘Catching the ZZZ’s’ has shown that’s

student have an awareness of the importance of sleep and the downsides of lack or sleep (see

appendix 2).

In conjunction with ‘Catching the ZZZ’s’, the Students’ Union would like the University to open our

very first nap room on campus to improve students mental health, well-being and stress levels. This

proposal will demonstrate the benefits to Teesside University and the psychology behind sleep

hygiene.

Consequences of poor sleep

Poor sleep manifests in two ways. Sleep deprivation, which is a condition when you are not having

enough sleep; it can be either chronic or acute. A chronic sleep-restricted state can cause fatigue,

daytime sleepiness, clumsiness and weight loss or weight gain. Secondly sleep hygiene, meaning

habits that help you have a good night's sleep. Common sleeping problems (such as insomnia) are

often caused by bad habits reinforced over years. You can learn to retrain your body and mind so that

you sleep well and wake feeling rested.

“All-nighters are pretty much synonymous with student lifestyles. But, frequent sleep deprivation

over four years can have drastic long-term consequences, unleashing a neurological cycle of

degeneration” according to The Guardian’s Susan Redline a professor of sleep medicine in Boston

University. Over recent years, researchers have discovered dangerous side-effects of sleep

deprivation and lack of sleep hygiene. Some of these dangers are called ‘short-term euphoria’; this is

when the mesolimbic pathway (the neural circuit that controls pleasure and reward) is strongly

stimulated. These processes are usually driven by a chemical called dopamine which releases a short-

term, brief effect of motivation and positivity, but can also lead to addiction and impulsive

behaviours. The regions of the brain that are responsible for planning and evaluating decisions shut

down. After sleep deprivation, this can result to feeling overly-optimistic and happy which could

ultimately lead to students taking higher risks. These optimistic decisions could also impact students’

decisions on their academic behaviour to be more inclined to rush assignments or examinations,

resulting in poor academic grades. The long-term effects of sleep deprivation and lack of sleep

hygiene, when overly stimulated by the mesolimbic pathway could permanently damage the brain

and its ability to adapt to new situations.

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One in three Britain’s suffer from poor sleep hygiene. Dr. Andrew Mayers, a psychologist and sleep

expert at Bournemouth University explains that “poor and/or irregular sleep can effect students in a

number of ways including poorer attention, concentration and lower assessment grades.” As well as

an effect on their academic life, students are “more likely to have accidents, become irritable with

friends and family, and are more susceptible to physical illness. Longer term, poor sleep can increase

the risk for future metal health problems, including depression.”

Feedback received from Students was very favourable towards a nap room, here are a selection of

comments.

Gives students the opportunity to catch up on sleep on campus instead of trying to 'power through' the sleepiness & fall asleep in lectures - we've all been there! Beneficial for well-being - if students don't get enough sleep they're unlikely to perform as well academically as they could be - the nap room could help this! Sometimes during a long day at uni, you need a bit of a break and instead of getting a caffeine fix to keep us going, a short nap somewhere quiet would be a great replacement! Napping is a great way to improve my mood - a nap can vastly change how I'm feeling & I'm sure other people are the same! It's been done before & seems to have worked (University of East Anglia set one up last year)

I have sleep apnoea and Hashimoto's disease, as well as Fibro. When I have a flare I need to

sleep. No normal days, I need to nap every day if it's a long one...or even an intense short one.

There are time when I have been in uni and contemplated sleeping in the library. Sometimes I

have things going on at home that affect my concentration and sleep pattern, and like to spend most of my time in university. A nap room would let me have the peace I need to improve my concentration and perform better with my studies.

Living at home and commuting to university is a real struggle at times, especially when in for a

9am lecture and then not having anything else until later on the afternoon. It would be great to be able to go somewhere to relax other that the Students Union where it can usually be quite busy. It's be great for the entire university to have a space for students so that they can relax.

The comments demonstrate students understanding of the importance of sleep and the effects of

sleep deprivation. Students are aware that lack of sleep hygiene can lead to insomnia, anxiety/stress

but also the advantages of napping include productivity, better revision techniques and the ability to

focus better. 59% of Teesside students are from the North East and travel to University. As shown

above in many comments, a large amount of students would prefer a nap room on campus, as they

are unable to travel back home to nap and then come back to campus. This would also help them

reduce the cost of travel for such a short amount of time, and increase productivity as they are

already on campus. Finally, some students have medical diagnoses, such as chronic fatigue, sleep

apnoea and idiopathic hypersomnia which is out of their control. With a nap room on campus it

would cater to their needs and provide a place for all our students to recharge their batteries when

working hard.

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Why would a nap room be beneficial for Teesside University?

Even though nap rooms are not relatively known in the UK and is a concept mostly seen in the United

States, the introduction of a nap room at Teesside would not only mean that the profile of the

University is raised for student recruitment, but it would also show that Teesside University is taking

students mental wellbeing seriously and ensuring that students do their best whilst being here. Whilst

we cannot examine the sleep relationship to other mental health and well-being issues, it would

appear that students at Teesside are not sleeping well and they are in severe circumstances

presenting to tutors and the Counselling Service with particular sleep problems. Most common

problems appear to be insomnia and delayed phase sleep syndrome. A nap room would help

students rest which would then make students more attentive in classes and take in information

better. With the introduction of the nap room, this may increase the amount of students attending

classes. As shown in previous research in the proposal, information is easily retained and the brain is

more attentive and focused following a nap. Having a nap will reflect on students getting better

grades and the ability to perform better.

With students’ hectic academic lives, students may often feel unfocused and inattentive; however, if

there was a facility on campus, such as a nap room, students would be able to easily take time out of

their day, when required, to refuel. Not only will napping help students enhance their learning and

produce better grades, but this will be good for Teesside University’s NSS satisfaction results. If the

introduction of the nap room is implemented in time for the 2015/2016 academic year, this would

make Teesside the second University in the United Kingdom to have a nap room on campus.

Work with the University to develop a booking system. This could be done online or activated cards

similar to the ones in the University gym.

Location

There are many different locations possible for the nap room however, the Students’ Union would

highly recommend that the library would be the best option and safe space for a nap room to be

created. This is because the library is part of the campus heart where there is the most footfall of

students. Not only that but due to its centralised location the library is where students spend most of

their time studying and revising. From the comments given by the students in the above proposal you

can clearly see that when students are studying hard they are more likely to get tired and want to

have a nap. Having the nap room in the library would benefit most students as they won’t need to

walk around campus to find the nap room, it would be available there and then for them to use.

Another great factor about having it in the library would be that is it a quiet place for students not

only to study but to nap in peace. In contrary having the nap room in a different location or building

could cause sleep disturbance; most other buildings need card access which would cause problems if

all students were not able to access the nap room.

The Students’ Union are aware that the fourth floor of the library has already got plans for the new

academic year, but even being given a small room to work around would be a big advantage for our

students and their sleep hygiene. We would really like you to consider having a nap room on the

fourth floor of the library. If this is not an option then a discussion can take place to find a suitable and

quiet place for a nap room.

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Conclusion

Throughout this proposal, the importance of sleep hygiene has been highly stressed, as well as

showing the positive effects of napping such as productivity, learning techniques and the ability to

focus better. As stated at the start of this proposal, 81% of Teesside students that were surveyed

would profit from the creation of a nap room. This demonstrates that students are willing to look

after their wellbeing, in order to better their experience at university, both academically and within

their health. Not only do students want a nap room, but as previously discussed, this would aid

recruitment as Teesside University would only be the second University in the United Kingdom to

have a nap room.

If the proposal is accepted, the nap room would first be opened for the start of the 2015/2016

academic year on a trial basis. A nap room is a brand new scheme, so it will be closely monitored by

the Students’ Union in terms of whether the facility is being properly used. After the trial period, a

decision would be taken; if at any point the room is being misused and/or damage is caused, the

room will be restricted.

The Students’ Union hope that you will consider this proposal carefully and look forward to discussing

any questions or queries that you may have after reading the proposal.

Manon Goetschel

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Appendix 1

Q1 What year of study are you in?

Answer Choices Responses

year 1 23.53% 48

year 2 43.63% 89

year 3 26.47% 54

year 4 6.37% 13

Total 204

Answered: 204 Skipped: 1

year 1

year 2

year 3

year 4

0 % 10 % 20 % 30 % 40 % 50 % 60 % 70 % 80 % 90 % % 100

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Q2 What type of degree are you studying?

Answer Choices Responses

Foundation 0.98% 2

Undergraduate 94.15% 193

Post- graduate 3.90% 8

PHD 0.49% 1

Other 0.49% 1

Total 205

Answered: 205 Skipped: 0

Foundation

Undergraduate

Post- graduate

PHD

Other

0 % 10 % % 20 30 % 40 % % 50 60 % 70 % % 80 90 % 100 %

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Q3 Would you like a nap room on campus?

Answer Choices Responses

Yes 81.19% 164

No 18.81% 38

Total 202

Answered: 202 Skipped: 3

Yes

No

0 % 10 % % 20 30 % 40 % 50 % 60 % 70 % 80 % 90 % 100 %

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Q4 Please give us a reason why you think

having a nap room on campus would be

beneficial for you? Answered: 164 Skipped: 41

I have regular migraine attacks and also suffer from idiopathic hypersomnia, so a nap room

would be a fantastic aid to my disabilities.

Somewhere quiet and safe to take a 20 min power nap mid-afternoon would really help refresh me and allow for better productivity.

Long days, with gaps in between mean you end up very tired - especially h&sc students who do blocks of placement alongside. - Not all of us live close to campus and is too far to travel in the break to get home, nap and be back for the next lecture!!

An occasional break from work during an all-nighter studying is essential. A short sleep would

make you feel much better and more prepared to continue the slog. Teesside needs a nap room, it would be awesome.

Have fallen asleep in late afternoon lectures many times due to working into the night on

essays and revision, this would be perfect, naps are beneficial as shown here

Will help insomnia and stress/anxiety

Gives students the opportunity to catch up on sleep on campus instead of trying to 'power through' the sleepiness & fall asleep in lectures - we've all been there! Beneficial for well-being - if students don't get enough sleep they're unlikely to perform as well academically as they could be - the nap room could help this! Sometimes during a long day at uni, you need a bit of a break and instead of getting a caffeine fix to keep us going, a short nap somewhere quiet would be a great replacement! Napping is a great way to improve my mood - a nap can vastly change how I'm feeling & I'm sure other people are the same! It's been done before & seems to have worked (University of East Anglia set one up last year)

I do 15 hour days on campus and so it would allow me to break up my day in the middle of

the afternoon during marathon library sessions

Sleep and hydration are two of the biggest factors that help the Brain function at full capacity. A 20 min nap can reboot your Brain and get you ready to learn. NAPS.

Doing an intensive course means sometimes being in university from 9am-2am to get all the

work done. In order to be productive naps are required as they have been scientifically proved to help an overall sense of wellbeing.

When deadlines and exams are upcoming stress levels are high and lack of sleep can lead to

further pressure, having a nap room will encourage students to ensure they have the recommended amount of sleep per night even if this means an hour nap and being able to finish coursework sooner rather than later.

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I have sleep apnoea and Hashimoto's disease, as well as Fibro. When I have a flare I need to

sleep. No normal days, I need to nap every day if it's a long one...or even an intense short one.

Other universities such as the University of East Anglia have nap rooms which have shown to

be effective for students. It will help promote a healthier wellbeing between students, as there are those who spend a lot of time in the library and in the 24 hour labs and because it will cut too much of their important time out of the day to go back home for a nap, especially when it is well known that a lot of Teesside University students still live in their family homes, which could be an hours bus ride.

There are time when I have been in uni and contemplated sleeping in the library. Sometimes I

have things going on at home that affect my concentration and sleep pattern, and like to spend most of my time in university. A nap room would let me have the peace I need to improve my concentration and perform better with my studies.

Living at home and commuting to university is a real struggle at times, especially when in for a

9am lecture and then not having anything else until later on the afternoon. It would be great to be able to go somewhere to relax other that the Students Union where it can usually be quite busy. It's be great for the entire university to have a space for students so that they can relax.

I work 12 hour shifts on placement then have to do assignments and exams as well ... I need

sleep

Not only with encourage students to relax, it would also promote better mental health and would remind students life isn't just dominated by work.

I work part time in a bar to help fund my studies and car to get into university on a morning,

sometimes I feel too tired and sleep in on a morning and often miss my first lecture, if there was a nap room it would make it easier knowing I could just go for another nap after my lecture or seminar especially when I'm in uni 9-5 after getting in at 1 in the morning!!

Doing a performance based degree can give us long days full of practical work, with only short

breaks. A nap room would give us students somewhere to recharge and relax, giving us more energy and attention for afternoon classes which are normally wasted because we're too tired.

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Appendix 2

SLEEP SURVEY The starting point for some basic research into students’ knowledge of sleep was a

short Sleep Survey which we asked students to complete on 20thNovember 2014 at the launch of the

‘Catching the Zzzs’ campaign. As a preliminary approach to understanding students’ knowledge of

sleep we drew upon the work of Professor Colin Espie of the University of Glasgow Sleep Centre. He

uses a 16 item questionnaire where participants are asked to respond with a true or false or unsure to

the statements. 149 students participated. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is a recognised therapeutic

approach to dealing with sleep difficulties and the beginning of this approach is identifying thought

processes and beliefs about sleep. It seemed an ideal questionnaire to use. It must be noted that we

did not at this stage consider any other information from the participants in terms of age, gender,

course etc. We wanted to obtain a snapshot of possible beliefs around the subject of sleep. Further

research may take into account other participant information at a future date depending on

availability of resources. Table 1 below illustrates the findings and identifies the accuracy of each the

sleep statements as recorded by the participants. There is a high contrast in terms of accuracy

between the statements.

Teesside University Sleep Initiative

2014-15.

Steve Scott-Marshall & Manon

Goetschel

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Breaking down the results statistically reveal:

(Emma Phillips, trainee student counsellor).