We’ve all been lectured time and time again about how important it is to get a full nights rest. Before college, getting the 8 hours your body needs was easy because your parents were behind you reinforcing healthy sleeping habits. But now with all the freedom that college life has to offer; the countless all nighters, roommates with differing schedules, and 8 AM lectures, your sleep schedule is severely messed up. Every once in a while we all prioritize our busy schedules over catching some z’s, but if you’re continually getting less than your needed 8 hours there could be some serious repercussions to your health.
Research has shown that lack of sleep can be detrimental to your body in a number of different ways. Harvard Medical School cites six ways in which lack of sleep negatively affects your body.
1. Learning and Memory – Think pulling an all nighter to cram an entire semester’s worth of work is going to help you ace that final? Think again. Sleep actually plays a big role in your learning of new information through a process called memory consolidation. In this process, sleep aides the brain in committing new information to your memory. So if you’re contemplating losing sleep to cram before an exam – don’t. Instead, give yourself enough time to be able to get enough sleep and it will increase your chances of acing that exam.
2. Weight Control – A diet and exercise free way of avoiding the “freshman 15”? Getting enough sleep. Our bodies work to process and store the carbohydrates we’ve consumed throughout the day while we sleep. Without proper time to process these, weight gain may occur. Lack of sleep may also throw off the hormone levels that affect our appetite, which in turn could make you hungrier. So if you want a simple way to stay on track with your weight the answer is simple – get enough sleep.
3. Safety – Every once in a while we all fall victim to falling asleep in class. The warm lecture hall and monotonous professors contribute to your sleepiness, as well as the 2 hours of sleep you got the night beforehand. But what about when you fall asleep while driving or while waiting for the bud? Extreme lack of sleep could lead to you being stuck in some really unsafe situations. Believe me, you don’t want to be the girl who crashes her car or breaks her arm from falling off a bench because she pulled an all nighter. Take the safe route, and get your 8 hours.
4. Mood – So you got two hours of sleep, had an 8 AM midterm that you just bombed, had to go to the rest of your classes, and now your roommate is trying to talk to you about this fantastic date she went on last night. Instead of your usual interest and excitement for this huge stride in her love life, all you feel is the urge to bite her head off. Why is this? Lack of sleep can lead to irritableness, impatience and moodiness. Instead of offending your roommate or your friends, catch some z’s and come back to the conversation later refreshed and ready to act like a human again.
5. Cardiovascular Health – I know what you’re probably thinking: “I’m not middle-aged or obese, so why should I worry about heart health?” Well, to put it simply, because it’s relative to your life. You’re probably doing a lot of damage to your cardiovascular system without even realizing it; excessive partying, cigarette smoking, vomiting from drinking, and poor dietary habits can all attribute to poor heart health. But sleep is another factor to consider when it comes to cardiovascular health. Lack of sleep can be associated with hypertension, increased stress hormone levels, and irregular heartbeats. Since we’re already doing enough unintentional damage to our cardiovascular system, do yourself a big favor and get some sleep to make up for it!
6. Immune System Health – Think of how many doorknobs or elevator buttons you touch everyday, or how many sips of your friend’s drinks you’ve taken in the past week. College campuses are overrun with germs that your immune system has to fight off. But when you calculate in your lifestyle of drinking, partying, and not getting enough sleep, you may find that your immune system isn’t strong enough to fight off all these germy threats. Lack of sleep alters how well your immune system functions, which can cause you to be predisposed to getting sick. Getting sick can lead to missed classes, and missed classes can lead to lower grades, so avoid getting caught up in the cycle and get your eight hours.
Sleep is a beautiful thing. But beyond that, it’s something your body needs to function properly. So the next time you’re thinking about putting off sleep for whatever reason, think again. Believe me, your body will thank you later when you’re not showing any of these unwanted effects!