The importance of sleep

For many people, it’s difficult to get the full amount of sleep that the body needs. The average number of hours suggested for sleep each night is around seven hours. This is harder to achieve for many in college for several reasons.

According to the American Sleep Association (ASA), somewhere between 50 and 70 million Americans suffer from a form of sleep disorder. 48% of Americans report snoring and sleep apnea. 30% of adults suffer from insomnia, the most common specific sleep disorder. Somewhere between 28.5% and 31.9% of adults in Nebraska get less than the suggested amount of sleep. Finally, 39.7% of adults fall asleep during the day.

That’s a lot of information, but it shows why sleep is so important. This info has been taught in classes and it seems like common knowledge. However, the effects of sleep deprivation on students is still a big issue.

A study at Brown University showed that 30% of their female students experienced insomnia, compared to only 18% of male students. Along with that, students on average only get six hours of sleep a night. That’s ignoring the all-nighters that many students must pull in order to be ready for a test the next day. The Sleep Health Journal did a study that showed that sleep loss will affect academic performance just as much as consistent binge drinking. When you are unable to get the sleep you need, your body goes into sleep debt. According to the Daily Pennsylvanian, this affects memory, attitude, decision-making and reaction time.

The ASA also showed that a student’s major plays an incredibly large role in the amount of sleep they get. Students working on a degree within the medical field get the lowest amount of sleep and the worst quality of sleep.

The majority of students also sleep with their phones under their pillows, which affects the quality of sleep a student can get. One reason many students sleep with their phones under their pillows is that they have a fear of missing an important text, call or email. The added stress of that fear piles onto the disturbance that comes with every notification.

The University Health Center shows that between 30% and 50% of college students take naps throughout the day. Because of this, they’re not getting the amount of sleep at night that they need.

The real importance of making sleep a priority while here in college comes down to three big reasons. Getting good enough sleep can help you focus better, improve your memory and improve your grades. Sleep is incredibly important for college. It’s hard to get good quality sleep in college, but it is worth the effort.

By TJ Pittenger