Abstract Mkid 141

The study had three goals. The first was to compare self-reported sleep before exams with sleep before lectures. The second was to determine whether self-imposed sleep loss results in impaired exam performance. The third goal was to evaluate whether sleepiness, non-academic task preference and subjective effort were affected by selfimposed sleep loss. A questionnaire, completed on three occasions, once following a lecture and twice following exams, included a sleep and activities diary, subjective effort and concentration questions, the Stanford Sleepiness Scale, and a nonacademic task-choice question. Students slept less prior to exams than before the lecture. Sleepiness following exams was greater than following the lecture. Exam performance was not related to total sleep time or sleepiness. However, lower total sleep time and increased study time on nights before exams were followed by increased feelings of sleepiness, increased subjective effort, and increased concentration. Sleepiness predicted the choice of lower difficulty non-academic tasks on Exam 1 and Lecture while feeling refreshed predicted the choice of higher difficulty non-academic tasks on Exam 2. Under self-imposed sleep loss, sleepiness or the lack of feeling refreshed influences the selection of tasks of minimal difficulty. The need to efficiently use available resources when sleepy may reflect changes in energy or neurochemistry. Future research will determine the impact of this effect on the workplace.