With the fall semester underway and midterms just around the corner, students may soon find themselves too exhausted and sleep-deprived to perform well on the tests.
Trying to find the balance between schoolwork and a home life can be difficult, and often leaves college students wishing they had more time.
It is a Catch-22, according to Joe Santamaria (graduate-cognitive psychology), as students stay up late to work, they get less productive and it takes even longer to get the work done. This often leads to stress and sleep deprivation, sometimes forcing people to look for other options to make up for lost time.
Cynthia LaJambe, a College of Engineering chronobiologist, said most doctors recommend that students get seven to eight hours of sleep every night -- but six hours is often a generous amount.
"I usually get six hours of sleep a night just because I have so much work to do," Stephanie Wertman (junior-art education) said.
Psychology professor Frederick Brown and LaJambe both said young children are morning-oriented, but at about age 13, they become more night-oriented, meaning that children become more alert at night as they grow older.
Brown said the level of alertness lasts through most people's high school and college years. He said during adulthood, individuals return to morning inclinations.
LaJambe stressed that, from a biological standpoint, there is a reason why college students dislike 8 a.m. classes.
"It is important to recognize that most college students aren't morning-oriented," LaJambe said.
Brown and LaJambe said sleep debt accumulates when people don't get enough sleep on a regular basis; even one or two nights of staying up can disrupt sleep for up to two weeks.
LaJambe said the only way to feel refreshed is to sleep off the debt, which can require sleeping for as long as 10 to 12 hours in one day.
Although making up sleep is easier said than done for many students, some have the most trouble making up lost sleep near exams.
"Everything piles up right at the end and sleeping becomes a lower priority than getting work done," Santamaria said.
Every year, the American College Health Association administers the National College Health Assessment. Last year, more than 37 percent of Penn State students said stress affected their academic performance the most. Sickness and sleep difficulties came a close second and third on the survey.
Susan Kennedy, associate director of University Health Services said the test shows that the three causes may all be interrelated.
When students have little time to fit in lots of work, many become stressed. High levels of stress and workloads are often correlated with sleep deprivation, Kennedy said.
Brown said sleep deprivation also weakens the immune system, making victims of sleep difficulties more susceptible to illness.
These results are consistent with national results, Kennedy said.
"It rings that what our students are saying is what other students across the nation are saying," she said.
Sleep deprivation, while prevalent among college students, can be caused by stress unrelated to academics.
Dr. Evan Pattishall, University Health Services clinical director, said society, as a whole, is sleep deprived.
"There is too much to do and each day is packed," he said. "Sleep becomes whatever time is left over rather than something that is managed."
LaJambe said sleep deprivation is especially problematic once it becomes a lifestyle.
"Everything must be in moderation," she said.
Pattishall said the long-term effects of sleep deprivation are "considerable" and include chronic fatigue, depression, mood disorders and decreased brain function, which can affect academic and athletic performance.
To cope with sleepless nights, students may look for ways to stay alert and productive, especially during exam weeks. While stimulants such as caffeine may be popular and effective in putting off sleep, they cannot replace sleep. According to Pattishall, caffeine and other drugs used to keep people awake can be addicting and may have serious side effects.
Caffeine, rarely considered a drug because it is in many foods and beverages, is actually a mild stimulant. The recommended daily intake of about 300 milligrams (mg) is neither beneficial nor detrimental to one's health. 300 mg is the equivalent of three cups of coffee or four 12-ounce glasses of soda. The effect of caffeine can be felt as early as 30 minutes after consumption and will stay in the system for up to six hours.
While coffee, tea and soda may be the most common caffeine sources, caffeine can also be found in energy drinks such as Red Bull.
Although stimulants do allow students extra time to stay awake, an inevitable "crash and burn" will come when the body becomes too exhausted to function. They may stay up long enough to study for the test, but immediately following the test, students will be too tired to stay awake any longer.
Although there is no replacement for sleep, there are a few smart ways to stay awake that do not involve chemical substances and leave the body refreshed.
"Taking a nap is better than no sleep at all," Pattishall said; but to get quality sleep, one must go through all of the various sleep stages, which takes time that napping doesn't accommodate.
Eating healthy snacks, such as fruits, and staying well hydrated is important for any late-night student. Also, fresh air, cooler climates and moderate exercise can help students stay alert -- going for a quick jog will both energize a student and clear the mind.
