Sleep is very important for college students. I for one know how important sleep is to me. Without a good night sleep it is very hard to get through the day. Sleep deprivation is a constant struggle that many college students face.
Over 70% (a majority) of college students reported that they obtain less than 8 hours of sleep per night, according to an article posted by the Nature and Science of Sleep.
As college students there are many things that disrupt our sleep such as all-night study sessions, socializing, and all the stress that comes with college. If students were to be aware of the academic and health risks involved with sleep deprivation, it would help them plan their study time better and understand the importance of a good night sleep.
It is clear that a lack of sleep has negative effects on college students but first it is important to understand how many people are suffering from sleep deprivation and to know what causes the lack of sleep college students face.
According to a poll by the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), more than half of the country’s young adults report “waking up feeling unrefreshed” (55%).
A survey at a North Central university conducted in 2008 by a team led by Dr. LeAnne Forquer of over 300 students found that over 75% of participants had poor sleep quality and poor sleeping habits
There are two main causes of sleep deprivation:
- Academic and emotional stress
- Poor Sleep Hygiene
In a recent study conducted at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota: 68% of students have trouble falling asleep due to academic and emotional stress.
Poor sleep hygiene refers mainly to the weekends when students sleep in much later to catch up on the sleep they missed during the week. This ends up disrupting their sleeping patterns.
Students grades are significantly impacted when they do not receive the proper amount of sleep.
It was found that Students who obtained more sleep (greater than or equal to 9 hours) had higher GPAs than those who got less than or equal to 6 hours of sleep: GPAs were 3.24 vs 2.74 on average, respectively.
This video shows the effects of sleep deprivation.
It is a known fact that college students are the most sleep deprived group of people. They are the people that need sleep the most. The stressful lifestyle of college does not allow students to get the amount of sleep they need.
Schools such as Washington University have begun celebrating Sleep Awareness Week where they handed out fliers about the benefits of sleep and gave students tips for getting more sleep. Although they are trying to help the students there is not much they can really do. College students have busy schedules and it is incredibly difficult to change that.
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