Sleep deprivation proves detrimental
By: Amber Russell
Issue date: 11/6/08 Section: Health
College students are not getting enough sleep because of their hectic
schedules and late-night study sessions. New research has shown how sleep-deprivation has detrimental
effects on students’ academic
and athletic performances.
College students are among the most sleep-deprived age group in the United States. Many students admit they are not getting the recommended
amount of sleep each night. The National Sleep Foundation
states that adults need between seven and nine hours per night.
“I usually get around six to six and a half hours of sleep a night,” said Stephen Murray, a junior business
administration major at WU.
One reason it is so important to get the right amount of sleep is because both deep sleep and Rapid Eye Movement (REM), or dream sleep, are required for learning, according to a study published in the American Journal for College Health in 2001.
Murray said stress is a big part of why he stays up late — he is stressing about exams and staying up late studying.
“I try to make up for it on the weekends, and I sleep in late when I get the chance,” Murray said.
When students try to play “catch up” on the weekends by sleeping more, it messes up the circadian
rhythm of the body. This is a 24-hour cycle that is important in determining the sleeping and eating
patterns of all animals, including
human beings.
It is important to set a time to go to bed each night that will ensure a full night’s sleep. Students have so many things to juggle — classes, work, exams, papers, meetings and eating — along with trying to have a social life. Sleep is what gets cut down because the other tasks seem more important. But researchers agree that sleep is more important,
and whatever work does not get finished by bedtime should be put off until the next day. It helps if students do their assignments early in the evening (if possible) rather than waiting until later.
A Central Michigan University study surveyed more than 300 college
students, freshman through graduate students, and found one-third of the students admitted that it took longer than 30 minutes to fall asleep. Many students said they woke more than once a night for at least five nights a week.
Josh Simpson, a senior film production major, said he often has trouble falling asleep at night.
“I think I have trouble sleeping
because I’m usually worried or anxious and have all these thoughts running through my head when I lay down,” Simpson said. “I have studying or schoolwork on
my mind.”
The CMU study was conducted by former graduate student, LeAnne
Forquer, who had difficulty sleeping during her college years, which prompted her to do research on the subject of sleep-deprivation among college students.
The study found that students who don’t get enough sleep each night experience negative effects on academic performance, including
exams, and lack of sleep has also been linked to depression or behavioral problems. It can also lead to a weakened immune system,
anxiety and irritability.
“Not getting enough sleep is associated with impaired attention,
school performance, and can also lead to driving accidents as people fall asleep behind the wheel of their cars,” Forquer said of the findings of her study in a Science
Daily article.
Forquer also did a similar study, published in Sleep and Hypnosis, and found that the use of “white noise” may help college students get better sleep. The study found that continuous white noise, such as a fan, helped students decrease difficulty falling asleep and helped them stay asleep during the night.
Other researchers who have studied the subject of sleep among students say that pulling all-night study sessions can affect
students’ GPAs.
A study at St. Lawrence University
in New York studied the sleeping patterns of 111 students to monitor the correlation between sleep and their GPAs. Two-thirds of the students said they had at least one “all-nighter” during a semester. The author of the study, psychology
professor Pamela Thacher, said many students believe it is a rite of passage to stay up all night, and the younger students may think it’s fun to stay up all night. The study showed that students who frequently
have “all-nighters” had a slightly lower GPA on average than those who get regular sleep.
A Stanford University study showed that athletes who made more time for sleep performed better during their games. The research
showed that six basketball players ran faster and made more shots during a period in which they slept at least 10 hours a night.
Relaxation is very important and is key when getting ready for bed. There are many things students
can do to get to sleep faster. Instead of stressing about all the work and studying students have to do during the week, it is recommended
they make a list of all the tasks they have to finish that week and then set it down and forget about it. Cross off the list as you go along during your week. You can see your progress and maybe not be so bogged down by all the important
things you need to do.
Bedtime Suggestions
Don’t let sleep be a fleeting dream. Here are some tips to help you get a good night’s rest:
•A sleep mask, earplugs or white noise is very helpful among college students who live in dorms or with a roommate. These things can help block out irritating noise or lights.
•Try reading a book (for fun, not a required text) or listening to classical music before bed.
•Drinking herbal tea with honey can help one to relax, and there are specific herbal teas that claim to help people fall asleep, such as Sleepytime Herbal Tea made by Celestial Seasonings Co.
•Melatonin is an herbal supplement used to help people fall asleep easier and get a better night’s sleep without waking.
•Do not drink caffeinated beverages in the evening or at night right before bedtime because these stimulants make it difficult to fall asleep.
schedules and late-night study sessions. New research has shown how sleep-deprivation has detrimental
effects on students’ academic
and athletic performances.
College students are among the most sleep-deprived age group in the United States. Many students admit they are not getting the recommended
amount of sleep each night. The National Sleep Foundation
states that adults need between seven and nine hours per night.
“I usually get around six to six and a half hours of sleep a night,” said Stephen Murray, a junior business
administration major at WU.
One reason it is so important to get the right amount of sleep is because both deep sleep and Rapid Eye Movement (REM), or dream sleep, are required for learning, according to a study published in the American Journal for College Health in 2001.
Murray said stress is a big part of why he stays up late — he is stressing about exams and staying up late studying.
“I try to make up for it on the weekends, and I sleep in late when I get the chance,” Murray said.
When students try to play “catch up” on the weekends by sleeping more, it messes up the circadian
rhythm of the body. This is a 24-hour cycle that is important in determining the sleeping and eating
patterns of all animals, including
human beings.
It is important to set a time to go to bed each night that will ensure a full night’s sleep. Students have so many things to juggle — classes, work, exams, papers, meetings and eating — along with trying to have a social life. Sleep is what gets cut down because the other tasks seem more important. But researchers agree that sleep is more important,
and whatever work does not get finished by bedtime should be put off until the next day. It helps if students do their assignments early in the evening (if possible) rather than waiting until later.
A Central Michigan University study surveyed more than 300 college
students, freshman through graduate students, and found one-third of the students admitted that it took longer than 30 minutes to fall asleep. Many students said they woke more than once a night for at least five nights a week.
Josh Simpson, a senior film production major, said he often has trouble falling asleep at night.
“I think I have trouble sleeping
because I’m usually worried or anxious and have all these thoughts running through my head when I lay down,” Simpson said. “I have studying or schoolwork on
my mind.”
The CMU study was conducted by former graduate student, LeAnne
Forquer, who had difficulty sleeping during her college years, which prompted her to do research on the subject of sleep-deprivation among college students.
The study found that students who don’t get enough sleep each night experience negative effects on academic performance, including
exams, and lack of sleep has also been linked to depression or behavioral problems. It can also lead to a weakened immune system,
anxiety and irritability.
“Not getting enough sleep is associated with impaired attention,
school performance, and can also lead to driving accidents as people fall asleep behind the wheel of their cars,” Forquer said of the findings of her study in a Science
Daily article.
Forquer also did a similar study, published in Sleep and Hypnosis, and found that the use of “white noise” may help college students get better sleep. The study found that continuous white noise, such as a fan, helped students decrease difficulty falling asleep and helped them stay asleep during the night.
Other researchers who have studied the subject of sleep among students say that pulling all-night study sessions can affect
students’ GPAs.
A study at St. Lawrence University
in New York studied the sleeping patterns of 111 students to monitor the correlation between sleep and their GPAs. Two-thirds of the students said they had at least one “all-nighter” during a semester. The author of the study, psychology
professor Pamela Thacher, said many students believe it is a rite of passage to stay up all night, and the younger students may think it’s fun to stay up all night. The study showed that students who frequently
have “all-nighters” had a slightly lower GPA on average than those who get regular sleep.
A Stanford University study showed that athletes who made more time for sleep performed better during their games. The research
showed that six basketball players ran faster and made more shots during a period in which they slept at least 10 hours a night.
Relaxation is very important and is key when getting ready for bed. There are many things students
can do to get to sleep faster. Instead of stressing about all the work and studying students have to do during the week, it is recommended
they make a list of all the tasks they have to finish that week and then set it down and forget about it. Cross off the list as you go along during your week. You can see your progress and maybe not be so bogged down by all the important
things you need to do.
Bedtime Suggestions
Don’t let sleep be a fleeting dream. Here are some tips to help you get a good night’s rest:
•A sleep mask, earplugs or white noise is very helpful among college students who live in dorms or with a roommate. These things can help block out irritating noise or lights.
•Try reading a book (for fun, not a required text) or listening to classical music before bed.
•Drinking herbal tea with honey can help one to relax, and there are specific herbal teas that claim to help people fall asleep, such as Sleepytime Herbal Tea made by Celestial Seasonings Co.
•Melatonin is an herbal supplement used to help people fall asleep easier and get a better night’s sleep without waking.
•Do not drink caffeinated beverages in the evening or at night right before bedtime because these stimulants make it difficult to fall asleep.
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