How
much sleep do you get a night? Chances are it is less than what you need.
Students everywhere agree that they need more sleep. For many the problem is
trying to fit classes, schoolwork, sports, and the other parts that make up a
day, into a reasonable amount of time where there is enough left for sleep.
Most students are well aware they need more sleep. They feel it in class when
they have trouble focusing and keeping their eyes open. What is the underlying
issue for why this is happening? School, work, sports, and social activities
certainly take up a great deal of student’s time, but is it just a poor choice in prioritizing? It could be students aren't valuing
the importance of sleep.
When more time is needed, the quickest and easiest way to solve this issue is cutting out more from sleep. It's just a whole lot of time spent doing nothing right? But there are many negative side effects to not getting an adequate night of
sleep. Sleep deprivation causes moodiness, increases risk of car and other
related accidents, and decreases academic performance, which is probably one of
the last things a student wants to do. How can we explain this lack of sleep
besides not having enough time in the day? Is it that students have trouble sleeping?
Irregular sleep
patterns created from studying for exams or finishing projects may contribute
to this. Equally a factor is when students attempt to cope with the tiredness
experienced from not getting enough sleep and turn to caffeine from
coffee and energy drinks to feel awake and energized. This however makes the following
night of sleep even more difficult to obtain. Exercise during the day also
promotes quality sleep, and many students spend their time sitting in class
and studying. There aren't a lot of active periods in the day unless one
specifically goes out of their way to create it. With all these causes, it is
up to students to decide to make sleep a priority in order to gain the academic, as well as the physical and mental benefits.
Sources:
http://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/01/15/what-do-students-need-most-more-sleep/?_r=0
http://www.apa.org/topics/sleep/why.aspx
http://www.aasmnet.org/articles.aspx?id=659
http://www.educationconnection.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/sleep-student.jpg
The title of this post immediately caught my eye, as I am currently preparing to pull what many students refer to as an, "all nighter." I really liked the point you addressed about how important exercise is in relation to sleep. I think often times, students feel overwhelmed with homework and exams, and see going to the gym as being less important than getting a good grade. However, I have researched the importance of maintaining a balance between physical, mental, and emotional well being as contributing to overall health. You point out that lack of sleep can lead to many negative effects, some even jeopardizing the lives of others. This developing idea that sleep is a choice is truly scary to think about. After reading, I continued to ponder the same question you proposed in your first paragraph, but found myself specifically wondering how sleeping patterns differ from students in high school to college. I would also like to know if doctors who recommend 8-10 hours of sleep and maintaining adequate grades in school have any advice for students trying to find this balance.
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