Some observations about college students: You start doing it too late. You don't get enough of it -- and the lack of it is affecting your performance and your health -- even your social life can suffer.
Have your attention? Surprise! We're talking about a good night's sleep. College students are notorious for not sleeping well. And many of you admit it.
In every survey by the American College Health Association since 2000, students from across the country have consistently ranked sleep difficulties as the third most common impediment to academic performance.
Most of us take sleep for granted. It's simply that time when we finally forget our worries and allow our bodies to settle into that seemingly magical state of rest and restoration. It is easy to forget that sleep is, in fact, a very complex function and easily disrupted.
What is a "good" sleep? How much is enough? Does everyone need 8 hours of sleep per night? Of course not.
The normal range seems to fall between six and nine hours, although there are some historical figures, such as Napoleon Bonaparte, who are rumored to have required only 4 hours of sleep a day. (Occasionally we see some students at University Health Services who think they can get along on less than four hours sleep a night--and then end up with health problems because they get so worn down from sleep deprivation.) If you aren't getting adequate sleep to meet your biological needs, then it will affect your health and ability to function.
The important thing to know about how much sleep you need is that it is not the amount of time you sleep that matters the most -- it is how you feel afterward.
About 40 percent of all people will experience acute insomnia, or difficulty sleeping, each year. Their problems include difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, waking too early, and non-refreshing sleep (when you wake up feeling like you haven't slept at all). Insomnia is most often a symptom of another underlying condition. Psychological causes, such as anxiety, depression, and stress account for one half of all cases. An acute illness, even a cold, can temporarily interrupt normal sleep patterns. About 10 to 15 percent of the time, medications are the cause of sleep disturbances. This would include decongestants, steroids, ephedra, some antidepressants, and other drugs, including illicit drugs.
For more information on beating sleep deprivation, please contact UHS.
