For this year's research showcase, students in the Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program presented their research projects virtually this year. Each student is featured in a five-minute video presentation below.
Thank you for supporting the accomplishments of these students.
Welcome
Dr. Walter Wendler, President of West Texas A&M University
McNair Scholars - Class of 2020
Mariela Castanon
Student Profile
Title of Research: The Impact Sleep Has on Performance: A Systematic Review
Abstract:
This study investigated several variables and how they are affected by changes in sleep patterns. It is not clear why humans sleep so a systematic review was conducted in hopes to clarify the importance sleep has on specific variables. The methods used were a compilation of recent articles retrieved majorly from MedLine (EBSCO). Various hormones and how they are affected by sleep were looked into for this study, including growth hormone and testosterone. The athletic variables looked into were endurance performance, attention span, and strength. My findings conclude that adequate sleep is essential for optimal performance. It is significant to mention this study did not find a correlation between sleep and the hormones testosterone or cortisol. No correlation between sleep and the athletic variables endurance performance, or strength were found. A relationship was found between altered sleep and cytokines, and growth hormone. This study also concludes that sleep should be prioritized in athletic individuals as sleep influences various cycles, including protein synthesis. Keywords: Sleep AND; Athletes, Performance, Hormones