Almost ninety percent of college students are sleep deprived. As sleep is vital to our health and well-being, this statistic is shocking. Sleep has the power to regulate mood swings, increase learning ability, and strengthen the immune system. How you feel when you’re awake depends on the your sleeping habits, so maybe we should pay a bit more attention to how much sleep we’re actually getting. Are you part of the elite percentage of college students that sleep properly? Take this quiz to find out!
Before going to bed, you put your clothes in the dryer planning to take them out next morning. In class the next day, your professor mentions laundry. You immediately think…
a. “I’m so happy I already did this week’s laundry!”
b. “Shoot! I forgot to take out those clothes!”
c. “Laundry… Something about that sounds familiar…”
A friend shows you a picture of her new puppy. How do you react?
a. “Your dog is so adorable!”
b. Just a smile.
c. You start crying. You miss your dog way too much!
Your roommate just caught a cold. How long is it before you get sick?
a. You probably won’t get sick.
b. A few days probably. Maybe if you’re extra careful you won’t get sick.
c. You’ll wake up the next day with a full-blown cold.
You bring a travel mug of coffee to class. What are the chances that you spill something in the making of your coffee?
a. You’re usually pretty careful. You almost never spill.
b. It’s the morning. You’re tired. It happens every-so-often.
c. You can’t remember the last time you didn’t spill something…
You have eggs, bacon, and toast for at 8:00AM for breakfast. 9:30AM rolls around, how are your hunger levels?
a. You’re still feeling full.
b. You could go for a snack.
c. You are ravenous. Second breakfast, anyone?
Your Literature professor assigns a book report due in two weeks. How do you react?
a. You’re not worried- it’ll take a week to read the book and a week to write the paper.
b. You’re a little stressed – a book and a paper?
c. You feel a wave of anxiety – there’s no way you’ll get this done.
You and your boyfriend have plans to get dinner on Friday. On Tuesday, he texts you saying that he was called in to work on Friday and will have to cancel. What do you reply?
a. “No worries- it happens! We can always go out on Saturday instead!”
b. “Ummmm… okay. I guess we’ll find another time?”
c. You don’t even reply. How dare he?
It’s been a pretty typical week – papers, tests, meetings. How many times have you cried?
a. Zero.
b. Once.
c. Honestly, I’ve lost count.
After two classes, some homework, and Netflix, you hit the hay. How long before you fall asleep?
a. 10-20 minutes
b. 5-10 minutes
c. Less than 5 minutes
It’s about two o’clock in the afternoon. How are you feeling?
a. My blood sugar feels a little low; its time for a nutritious snack!
b. A nap seems very tempting right now.
c. I’m already dozing off. If I let myself fall asleep, I’ll sleep through the night.
Mostly A’s
Congrats! You are a part of the elite eleven percent. Keep up the good work. Maintain your habits of receiving eight to nine hours of sleep every night. If you regularly work out, make sure you’re on the latter end of that range. Otherwise, keep doing what you’re doing.
Mostly B’s
You’re not extremely sleep-deprived, but you would surely benefit from an extra hour or two! Some helpful tips to increase your hours are to avoid caffeine within four to six hours before bed, exercise earlier in the day, and nap only to make up for missed sleep. If you need some more tips, check out the Mostly C’s section.
Mostly C’s
If you answered mostly C’s, you’re displaying the common symptoms of sleep deprivation. These include forgetfulness, sickness, drowsiness, mood swings, stress, and increased hunger. It’s time to tackle your sleeping problems. Here are some tips to follow throughout the day. First, plan your day around a set wake-up time and bedtime. Eventually, your mind will fall in line with your body’s natural circadian rhythm, reducing daytime drowsiness. Next, eat a hearty breakfast with complex carbs to build up energy for the day. If possible, try to work out in the morning. This will activate your brain for the day rather than the night. As the day goes on, try to avoid naps unless you have sleep to make up for. Additionally, try to avoid caffeine within four to six hours before bed. When your bedtime rolls around, shut off all electronic devices to boost melatonin levels. Sleep tight!