During a 10 a.m. class, you keep on slowly falling asleep and yawning as your professor lectures. By not prioritizing sleep, attention in class and in the real world begins to slip. Just like any other self-care habit, you need to prioritize sleep.
While this can be difficult due to juggling schoolwork, extracurriculars, and other daily activities it is equally, if not more important than anything else you do. Sacrificing sleep, however, is not the answer to finding more time in a day.
Pulling all-nighters here and there is okay, but regularly getting enough sleep is vital to your health and success in every area of your life. Think about how much sleep you typically get. Is it three hours? Nine hours? To be considered healthy, young adults (ages 18-25) need between seven and nine hours, according to Havard University.
I get between seven and eight hours a night. I find if I sleep eight hours though I feel more alert than seven. People can figure out how long they need by seeing how much they typically sleep if they have no plans.
This is not to say shortcutting sleep and then sleeping in on the weekends will determine how much sleep you need. Additionally, this type of sleeping is unhealthy as it does not create a long-term solution to sleep problems.
So, what can happen if you continue to sacrifice sleep? Well, there are a multitude of consequences that reflect on your everyday life.
According to the CDC, staying awake for 18 hours can have the same effect as a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.05 percent. Staying awake for 24 hours can equate to a BAC of 0.10 percent (higher than the legal limit of 0.08 percent).
Other consequences could be lower scores on tests, irritability, fatigue during the day, and difficulty remembering. Long-term sleep deprivation could lead to weight gain and diseases.
As college students, it’s important to take note that better sleep can improve academics by being more productive, concentrating better, and paying more attention to your work. Sleeping can also help you cope better with stress as your body has time to reset.
How can I get on a better sleep schedule though? First, set up the same bedtime and go to bed every night. This may mean studying more during the day or making plans that end earlier.
For example, if you have a 10 a.m. class try going to bed at midnight and you could get eight hours of sleep each night.
Other tips for having a healthier sleep schedule are exercising during the day, limiting caffeine intake, not using your bed other than for sleep, and avoiding electronic screens before bed.
While it may be hard to sleep in the dorm due to loud noises, and springy mattresses – I know I deal with this problem, or other disturbances establishing a healthier sleep schedule will allow you to fall asleep faster and have a better quality of sleep.
I find setting a sleep schedule will make me more focused the next day and able to function in class without thinking about being tired.
Now is a great time to start practicing healthy sleeping habits as mid-terms are coming up and can help you be more productive in studying, remembering, and performing on your tests. Now, go get some rest.
