Sleep and study: The role of sleep habits and nighttime smartphone use in the academic performance of high school students in Mexico

Do high school students sleep adequately? This was the question that motivated our research team to investigate the sleep habits of students, specifically those at a rural high school located in the San Andrés Xiutetelco region of the state of Puebla, Mexico. We started with a preliminary hypothesis that suggested two possible causes of sleep disorders: on the one hand, the perceived difficulty of the curriculum; on the other, excessive smartphone use at night, influenced by local socioeconomic factors. To test this hypothesis, we designed a diagnostic instrument that was administered to a sample composed of incoming and final-semester students. As a first step, we gave an introductory talk aimed at providing a basic understanding of sleep and its impact on academic performance, as well as clarifying some key concepts. Subsequently, a survey focused on sleep habits and their relationship with academic performance was administered. Upon analyzing the collected data, our hypothesis was partially confirmed: a high percentage of the students surveyed reported using their cell phones before bed, which was associated with lower academic performance.