When heading off to college, most people will tell you about the good old days of frat parties, football games, and wild nights at the bar. What no one tells you is that college can be the most stressful time of your life, particularly if, like most college students, you’re not getting enough sleep.
College students have been called the most ‘sleep deprived’ people in our country, with studies showing that only 11% of college students get quality sleep each night and more than half report they feel sleepy during the day.
Although it is recommended that college students get at least nine hours of sleep per night, most average only 6 to 7 hours and more often that not, they get much less. Reasons for sleeping less include studying, all night crams, jobs, Internet and video games.
“I would rather party than sleep,” said Mark, a student at WVU. Liz, a sophomore, agreed saying, “I was so tired, I dragged myself to class. I was definitely not at my best.”
Does Missing Sleep Really Hurt That Much?
We’ve all pulled all-nighters at some point in our college careers, probably more than once, and we probably will again. And while we try to convince ourselves that missing a little sleep doesn’t matter, the complete opposite is true. Studies have shown that MRIs performed on students with nine or more hours of sleep show all neurons firing, while MRIs done on students who have pulled all-nighters show a significant lack of brain activity. And while we may think that pulling an all-nighter will help us pass the big history midterm, the lack of sleep is more likely to hurt than help us. Not only do you decrease your level of activity for the next day, but you’re likely to be ‘wiped out’ for the next several days, as your body tries to recover from that one all night cram session.
In fact, a 2001 study reported in the College Student Journal concluded that short sleepers (6 hours of fewer in 24 hours) had an average GPA of 2.74 compared to longer sleepers (9 hours or more in 24 hours) with an average GPA of 3.26. Lack of sleep not only decreases your ability to concentrate and results in more errors in work, sleep is the only time when your brain can process and consolidate what you have learned. When you sleep for only a few hours, your brain does not have the appropriate amount of time required to process the information.
Lack of sleep can also affect your overall health. Students who get fewer than six hours of sleep a night are moper likely to become depressed, anxious, and often get sick easier, because the lack of sleep has weakened their immune system.
I know it’s hard to make sleep a priority sometimes. Personally, I’ve struggled with sleep issues for years. But, as college students, it’s more important than ever that we get the right amount of sleep.
What Can I Do to Sleep Easier?
Make sleep a priority and try to keep a set routine of going to bed at a certain time, waking up a certain time, and create ‘pre-sleep rituals’.
At least an hour before going to sleep, you should shut off TVs and computers, as the blue glow from the screens is designed to keep us awake. Listen to soft music or take a shower. If you’ve got a ton of thoughts running around in your head, write a list of what’s on your mind, put it in a drawer and then forget about it. Avoid heavy eating and major exercise late at night. If you’re absolutely starving, try foods such as cherries, bananas, toast and oatmeal. These foods are sources of potassium and magnesium, natural muscle relaxers, melatonin, the chemical that controls the body’s internal clock to regulate sleep. Toast and oatmeal can trigger a rise in blood sugar, which in turn triggers insulin production and the release of sleep-inducing brain chemicals.
If you’re thirsty, instead of reaching for caffeine or coffee, try some warm milk. Some people recommend drinking wine before going to sleep and although this may help you drift off, it can also cause restless sleep and waking up frequently throughout the night.
And last but not least, use some common sense. If you have a big test the next day, skip the party. It’s not the end of the world, there will be more. And you’ll feel more rested and better prepared for your test the next day.
If your sleep issues become unmanageable, make an appointment to see Student Health. Taking sleep aids without a doctor’s recommendation is ill advised and can sometimes do more harm than good.
How Much Sleep Is Enough?
The amount of sleep needed varies from person to person. Sometimes quality is better than any quantity. If you wake up feeling alert and well rested and are ale to concentrate and focus through the day, you’re probably getting enough sleep.
Sleep deprivation can become a serious problem. Make sure you take care of it before it becomes one!