It’s officially college crunch time.
Project deadlines are approaching, lab reports are due and finals are bringing the stress. Time is flying by, and you feel like you need more than 24 hours in a day. As each deadline nears, you sacrifice more and more hours of sleep.
It’s a terrible cycle. You’re counting down until your final test that releases you from sleepless nights.
Many college students know sleep is important but sacrifice it to get a good grade in a class.
Lack of sleep not only makes you feel tired, but it can affect your exercise performance and weight loss goals too.
According to USA Today, too little or too much sleep can get in the way of losing weight.
People who had the most success in a weight-loss program got more than six hours of sleep but fewer than eight hours of sleep, according to USA Today.
Fewer hours of shut-eye may also increase your appetite, and you won’t be craving fruits and veggies, according to WebMD. When you don’t get enough sleep, hormones that let you know you are full decrease, causing you to feel unsatisfied after a meal.
I know I’m guilty of it. I will do whatever it takes to finish my work.
But the next day at the gym doesn’t feel so good. I’m sluggish and unmotivated to push myself. Instead of trying to beat my mile times, I’m counting down the miles until I’m home. The difference in my workout intensity is noticeable.
Getting the magic number of eight hours of sleep isn’t always possible. But during these next few weeks, I’m going to try to hit the sack earlier than I usually would.
How do you avoid sleep deprivation?