Flueckiger, L., Lieb, R., Meyer, A. H., & Mata, J. (2014). How Health Behaviors Relate to Academic Performance via Affect: An Intensive Longitudinal Study. Plos ONE, 9(10), 1-10. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0111080
This study aimed to determine the effects that sleep and physical activity had on students’ academic performance during an examination period. They carried out the study by having 72 first-year students answer online questionnaires on their sleep quality, physical activity, positive and negative affect, learning goal achievement, and examination grades on 32 consecutive days. The data were then analyzed using multilevel structural equation models.
Over the examination period, better average sleep quality but not physical activity predicted better learning goal achievement. Better learning goal achievement was associated with increased probability of passing all examinations. In terms of day-to-day dynamics, on days with better sleep quality, participants reported better learning goal achievement. Day-to-day physical activity was not related to daily learning goal achievement.
