By Kay Dee Johansen

Have you ever slept through your alarm clock and later your roommate tells you they saw you turn it off?

Do you constantly feel drowsy, sluggish, irritable or depressed? Do you find yourself forgetting things or drifting off in class? These are just a few symptoms of sleep deprivation, and you will be happy to know you are not alone in your misery. According to the National Sleep Foundation, college students, more then any other group of people, receive the least amount of sleep at night.

On an average a person requires at least eight hours of sleep each night. But a NSF national study found that college students only receive an average of 6.8 hours per night. Maybe you're thinking, "Wow, 6.8 hours that's pretty good!" Actually it is not enough. Lack of sleep impairs your memory, reaction time and alertness.

According to John M. Robertson, a psychologist at Kansas State University, lack of sleep also alters our moods. "Students are more susceptible to depression and discouragement," said Robertson

Eve Van Cauter, a research professor of medicine at the University of Chicago, says chronic sleep loss has a profound effect on metabolism and hormonal function.

"We know that a single night of partial sleep loss is enough to result in abnormally high levels of the stress hormone, cortisol, the following afternoon and evening," Cuater said. These effects can result in a decreased glucose tolerance and contribute to the development of a pre-diabetic condition.

Luckily, there is a cure to sleep deprivation. It is called sleep.

According to William Collinge, Ph.D and author of Subtle Energy, sleep is the single most important thing you can do for your health. Collinge says that during deep sleep, the production of growth hormone is at its peak. These hormones stimulate bone marrow, where your immune system cells are born. They also speed the absorption of nutrients and amino acids into your cells and aids the healing of tissues throughout your body.

Melatonin is also produced during sleep. Collinge says, melatonin "inhibits tumors from growing, prevents viral infections, stimulates your immune system, increases antibodies in you saliva, has antioxidant properties and enhances the quality of sleep." According to Collinge, the optimal time for sleep is between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.

EWJ
EWJ

September 1998
October 1998
November 1998
December 1998
January 1999
February 1999
March 1999
April 1999
September 1999
October 1999
November 1999
December 1999
January 2000