This just in: College is stressful.
There are mundane classes to deal with, the varying hours, the expensive textbooks; for many students there are also part- and full-time jobs to contend with. And this is all just during the day. A whole new set of pressures arise once the sun goes down.
Recent surveys and studies conducted by sleep experts around the country paint a troubling picture. Many Americans are failing to get a sufficient amount of sleep each night. And college students are no exception. Many students fall into a habit of partying through the night and sleepwalking through the day, drinking coffee and sugar-packed energy drinks to keep from falling asleep during class or at work.
Organizations such as the American Insomnia Association and National Sleep Foundation stress the physiological importance of getting between seven and nine hours of sleep each night. In order to function, the brain needs to shut down for a while, so that it can be fresh to take on the next full day’s workload. Still, it’s no secret many students at the University, and other universities like it, aren’t getting as much sleep as they need.
Failing to make time for a full night’s sleep can have some drastic health consequences. The National Institutes of Health says insomnia “can cause you to feel depressed … have trouble paying attention, learning and remembering.” When considering how college can make you feel all of these things regardless of how well you’re sleeping, the significance of being well rested is all the more clear.
With finals week fast approaching, and library all-nighters a very real prospect for some, it will be important if not crucial for those individuals to carve enough time out of their study schedules to rest their brains. The University Health Center has suggestions for how students can get a full night of sleep, which include staying active during the day and avoiding your bed except for when you’re about to go to sleep for the night. The full list can be found at healthcenter.uoregon.edu, under the Health Resources and Information menu.
Like other mental health issues, insomnia is easily hidden from others. And that makes it even more important for people to identify potential problems on their own. We’re at college to earn the best possible education, and we cannot be expected to do so unless we’re in the best possible mental condition. Without enough sleep each night, that’s just about impossible.