Want better grades? Don't pull that all-nighter -- get some sleep

By Jackie Banda

October 25, 2006 | Any busy college student knows a typical day can include classes, homework, studying, work, exercise and extracurricular activities. With so many demands on a students time sleep is often something that is sacrificed to fit more into one day.

According to Brown University Sleep and Development Laboratory a study in 2001 showed only 11 percent of college students reported having good quality sleep, while 73 percent had at least occasional sleep problems. Lack of sleep or sleep deprivation has harmful effects on the body, some of which are blurred vision, memory lapses, decreased mental activity, slowed reaction time and a decrease in the ability of the immune system. While a student may think they are benefiting by forfeiting their sleep in order to finish a paper or a reading assignment, the effects that occur as a result of not sleeping are just as harmful to the student's body as they are to the student's ability to learn in class the next day.

Dr. Tom Price of the USU Student Health and Wellness Center said he sees a large number of students who have concerns about sleep.

"I see quite number of students who don't get adequate sleep," Price said "However the majority of them have horrible sleeping conditions. Often things like loud roommates, late exercise schedules and large amounts of caffeine consumption a part of the student's regular life style, and all are things that will interfere with their sleep and sleeping habits."

It is obvious with those types of situations how the Brown study only found 11 percent of students to have good quality sleep. What about those who simply just don't have enough time for the recommended six and a half to eight hours of sleep?

The National Sleep Foundation states that sleep is a basic necessity of life just as air, water and food are. If a college student was to stop and consider the fact that forgoing a days worth of food or water is equivalent to skipping hours of sleep, they might think twice before that late night study session.

However, for most college students being tired is an all too common feeling. Students have spent so many nights studying and working late that their bodies are have become programmed to work through the feelings of being tired and worn-out.

There are two different states of sleep. Rapid Eye Movement and non-rapid eye movement sleep. A person cycles through both, REM and non-REM sleep, during a normal nights rest. Although it is still unclear what each cycle does for the body, it is known that both are needed to complete one full sleep cycle.

Jerome Siegel, director of the Center for Sleep Research at the University of California Los Angeles, wrote an article called "Why we sleep." In this, he points out that if a person does not get enough REM time during one sleep session, the next time that person sleeps there will be an increased amount of REM sleep. The same occurs for non-REM sleep. He calls this a sleep debt.

Sleep is the bodies' way of reenergizing its self for the next day. With all the demands that the average college student has, sleep often becomes an idea instead of a routine part of the day. Utah State University sophomore, Liz Stuevens, explained her mental process when it comes to sleep.

"I will get around to going sleeping, after I finish this paper and that reading and get something to eat." Stuevens said. "Sometimes there just aren't enough hours in the day to do everything I need to do, and sleep is the first thing that goes." Stuevens said she knows sleep is important and understands that she needs to start finding time for the recommended hours of sleep.

Sleep is not only important to scholarly success but also to the bodies' athletic abilities. Kevin Liu , a senior track and field athlete said sleep is important to his performance.

"My body needs all the energy it can get. I always make sure to I have a good nights sleep before a meet." Liu said, "If I don't get enough sleep my I can see it in my performance."

It is important for everyone to understand how cuticle sleep is for their bodies, epically those in college. As a young adult there are many demands from classes and jobs, as well as the demands each student puts upon themselves to perform well. Their bodies can not afford to lose the benefits of sleep.

Remember, every time you eat, drink water and even take a breath, it is just as important to your body as a full nights sleep.

NW
RB