Track: Modeling and Simulation

Abstract

The circadian rhythm cycle has a significant impact on students who attend their daily classes at home or online. As students adjust to the new system, sleep deprivation is one of the most significant factors affecting their daily schedules. This study aimed to investigate the impact of the circadian rhythm cycle on engineering students who attend classes at home or online. The researchers used structural equation modeling to analyze relationships between variables such as sleep, grades, workload, and stress levels. The results showed that factors such as academic workload, fatigue, academic stress, screen time, and the number of units had a significant effect on the sleep-wake activity of engineering students. Additionally, academic stress was found to be a contributing factor to psychological well-being, while screen time and hours of sleep were found to be contributing factors to working conditions and individual factors, respectively. To address these issues, the researchers recommend giving students sufficient deadlines for online activities, implementing a system of monitored class length and interval, and providing quick breaks. They also suggest that counseling and medical consultation should be made accessible to students to create a more open environment for discussing mental health and well-being.