Can a few lost hours of sleep really impact students that much? For college students, balancing classes, social lives, and sleep has become increasingly difficult. Sleep is the key to recharging your body. If you don’t get the rest you need, you won’t be able to properly function to complete the other daily tasks you’re required to do.
Across campus, sleep deprivation is one of the most overlooked challenges that is affecting students’ moods, focus, and overall wellbeing. Impacting everything from mental health to academic success, ensuring your body gets the rest it needs is crucial.
According to Neuro Launch, it’s estimated that 70-96% of college students are sleep deprived. The National Sleep Foundation recommends that young adults aged 18-25 get seven to nine hours of sleep per night. For most college students, their sleep hours fall extremely short of this recommendation.
“My body reacts by making me feel very lazy and tired during the daytime, making it really difficult to get things like my homework done and make it to my classes,” said junior Madeline Gilhuly. “Something that really helps me fall asleep is watching a TV show or movie, just to have something on in the background.”
Harvard Health Publishing says that when insomnia persists and starts to become a real problem, it can cause damage to nearly every system in your body.
“When I don’t get enough sleep, I notice I get sick and have trouble staying awake during the day. I am only able to sleep for a good four to six hours,” said junior Olivia Yessis.
Because sleep is so essential to the mind and body, when you lack it, your body starts to shut down more easily because it is not rejuvenated.
“I notice that I get really tired throughout my day and become less and less productive as it goes on,” said sophomore Ashley Montague.
It is common for students to use melatonin to help them fall asleep.
“Taking melatonin and getting to bed earlier helps, but it’s sometimes not enough,” said Yessis.
Some alternatives to improve sleep at night could include listening to white noise, playing a show or movie in the background until you fall asleep, or listening to low-volume music. In addition, making it a priority to actively try to go to bed earlier each night will also help you establish a routine of sleeping longer hours.
Cornell Health Sleep Resources offers ideas such as avoiding screen time 30 to 60 minutes before bed, creating a dark, comfortable, quiet space, and learning ways to meditate and relax your mind. Also, avoiding caffeine, alcohol and sugary drinks before bed will impact your energy levels.
“Sometimes my roommates and I like to go for late-night Starbucks or Dunkin’ runs for fun, but I only notice that it gives me energy I don’t need to have that late at night,” said junior Christa Spilios.
By avoiding these habits, your body will be less likely to want to stay up, resulting in less energy and making it easier to fall asleep at a reasonable time.
Sleep routines vary widely among students, but creating habits that allow for more rest could play a key role in sustaining both physical and mental well-being.
