College students – please sleep: Why you should prioritize rest

If you frequently experience fatigue during the day, irritability, stress, difficulty focusing and brain fog, you may be one of the many thousands of individuals who are experiencing symptoms of sleep deprivation. According to the National Sleep Foundation, between 70 to 96 percent of college students sleep less than what is recommended by health professionals. It can be incredibly challenging to manage homework, exams, extracurriculars, jobs and relationships, so it's unsurprising that many students end up compromising their sleep to fulfill all their obligations. Despite all the busyness of school, it’s worth reflecting on whether or not these sacrificed hours of sleep are significant enough to take precedence over other activities.  

The National Sleep Institute states that, on average, young adults should be getting seven to nine hours of sleep every night. It is critical that this rest is consistent throughout the week. The idea of “catching up” on sleep over the weekends is simply not an effective method in combating inadequate rest. Creating a schedule that routinely prioritizes sleep may seem like a big undertaking, but the rewards far outweigh the cost.

According to the CDC, staying awake for over 18 hours can have the same effect as having a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.05. Staying awake for 24 hours can be equated to a BAC of 0.10…and the legal limit is 0.08. The AAA reports that drivers running on less than five hours of sleep are five times more likely to be involved in a crash. Additionally, consistently lacking in sleep can severely affect personal health. Other than the symptoms previously mentioned, chronic sleep deprivation has also been linked to weight gain, obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and mental health disorders.  

For the students that claim that they’re okay with sacrificing their sleep if that means staying up studying to get better grades, there is evidence that being well rested can contribute to better academic performance. Harvard Summer School shares that sleep is an important factor in memory consolidation. Studies have shown that sleeping after learning material is correlated with better performance. 

Creating healthy sleep habits may require some compromises – for some it could include staying ahead in schoolwork, avoiding distractions, leaving social events early or skipping a late study session. Luckily, there is a very high chance that shifting your daily schedule to better accommodate rest will have a positive impact on your life. You’ll never know if you never try, so consider giving sleep a chance!

By Nicole Hardt