Sleep is crucial to living a healthy life. Unfortunately, at this age we tend to push sleep back to be one of our last priorities. Most young adults are recommend to get 8 hours of sleep per night, but as college students we have a very difficult time managing to stick to a steady sleep schedule.
Between studying, managing a social life and still getting up for that 9 a.m., most students often don’t meet the necessary 8 hour mark. This leads to daytime sleepiness and sleep depreciation. Irregular sleep schedules are immensely prevalent among college students – with 50 percent experiencing day time sleepiness and 70 percent experiencing insufficient sleep.
An issue that most students tend to overlook is that napping in between class may actually be doing more harm than good. What students might not know, is that the only naps that will actually be beneficial are 20-minute to 2-hour naps. Anything more or less than this will negatively affect one’s sleep cycle.
Another problem affecting students’ sleep is going to sleep after a night out while still under the influence. Falling asleep directly after a night of drinking may result in increased chances of sleep apnea. This is because going to bed under the influence does not allow people to enter the correct sleep cycles, such a REM sleep. REM sleep deprivation negatively effects improvement of visual learning and memory, proving how important sleep is in order to learn and comprehend new material.
Oversleeping effects the body’s physical and mental health, and has similar effects to under-sleeping. Getting too far over the recommended 8 hours of sleep, leads to higher chances of depression, heart disease, diabetes and obesity. This can also be caused by doing homework or studying in bed, as well as using technology or watching TV in bed. More time in bed is linked with waking up more often after sleep and reduced sleep efficiency. Sleeping for an excessive amount of time also tends to make people feel more lethargic, resulting in fatigue.
A way to manage and get around this is to make sure you get yourself on a good sleep cycle. Trying to go to bed the same time every night and to wake up at the same time every morning is a great way to get out of that sleep funk. Planning ahead for nights out will also help to regulate your sleep. Set an alarm before you go out to make sure you get home in time to get in a full 8 hours of sleep before you have to wake up the next day.
When it comes to getting some shut eye at the end of the day, be sure to keep all of these tips in mind. This way you’ll be able to wake up and fully function every day while living up to your best potential.
*VALLEY does not support underage drinking. Please remember to always drink responsibly.
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