College Life: Do I Really Need to Sleep?
By Shelley Ladin and Rhoda Geller

College students have been called the most “sleep deprived” people in our country. Studies show only 11 percent get quality sleep. More than half say they feel sleepy during the day.

9 hours of sleep per night is the recommended amount for college students.
Most college students average only 6 to 7 hours and very often they get much less. Studying, all-night cram sessions, jobs, the Internet and video games take priority over sleep.

“I would rather party than sleep” said Mark, Michigan State.  “I was so tired, I dragged myself to class.  I admit I was not at my best” according to Liz, Arizona State. Comments like these can be heard at campuses throughout the country.

So does missing a little sleep really hurt?  An occasional late night doesn’t
but consecutive nights can. Just as your body needs food, your body needs sleep.  Lack of sleep can make you irritable, tense, depressed, forgetful and more prone to sickness.

Study after study has shown that sleep deprivation does hurt academic performance. A 2001 study reported in the College Student Journal concluded short sleepers (6 hours or fewer in 24 hours) had an average GPA of 2.74 compared to longer sleepers (9 or more hours in 24 hours) with an average GPA of 3.24. Lack of sleep decreases your ability to concentrate and results in more errors in work.

Sleep is the time when your brain consolidates what you have learned. When you sleep only a few hours, your brain does not have time to process information. That is why pulling an all-night cram session can sometimes do more harm than good.  Not only don’t you remember what you have studied, you are “wiped out” for the next few days.

As a busy college student, it must seem unrealistic to get 9 hours of sleep per night.  So what can you the student do to help the situation?  

• Try to make a concerted effort to get sleep.  Make sleep a priority.
• Try to set a routine.  Create “pre-sleep”  rituals. 

Wind Down:  30 to 60 minutes before going to sleep, avoid a lot of activity.
Turn off video games.  Shut off loud music.  Close the murder mystery you are reading.
           Relax:  Listen to some soft music.  Take a warm shower.  If you have a lot on your mind, write a detailed list of what is in your head and then forget it.  Worry about the list tomorrow.
            Avoid:  Late night eating and major exercising.  Stay away from caffeine, nicotine and alcohol before going to sleep.  Alcohol may help you drift off but it can cause restless sleep and frequent waking.
                       
So how much sleep is enough for you?
The amount of sleep a person needs varies from person to person. Sometimes quality is better than quantity. If you feel alert and rested during the day, you are probably sleeping enough at night.

Should you try to nap?
It is well documented that taking a “Power Nap”, a 20-30 minute nap during the day, can be very beneficial.  It can put you in a better mood. It can refresh you. You may feel sharper and able to concentrate better.  Researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies found that with a nap, brain activity stays high throughout the day; but without a nap, brain activity declines over the course of the day.

It Is Important to Remember:
Always use common sense.  If you have a test the next day, partying the night before and not getting enough sleep is never a good idea.  Missing a party is not the end of the world.

Using sleep medications without a doctor’s recommendation is ill-advised and may do more harm than good. 

If your sleep issues are not manageable, you should seek outside help.   Consider contacting your college’s medical department/counselors or family and friends for help.

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Contact Shelley or Rhoda at:info@collegecareercoach.com

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