By LINDSEY TOYA-TOSA
The lack of sleep seems to be consistent among college students. According to a study done by the University Health Center at the University of Georgia, students stay up late to finish assignments or study and then have to wake up early to go to class, sometimes not even getting any sleep at all.
Sleep Good or Bad?
On average students get six to seven hours of sleep every night, according to the UHC study.
Lack of sleep affects health, grades, mood, and personal safety.
“Sleep is more important than exercising and nutrition in terms of impacting your health,” said JoAnn Bishop, IAIA wellness and fitness director.
The amount of sleep that a student should get varies from each person. But on average, it should be between seven to eight hours.
Sleep at IAIA
At IAIA, sleep deprivation does occur. “I do observe it negatively impacting students success on campus,” Bishop said.
However, it’s not seen among all students. “There are only a handful of students who are awake at all hours of the night,” said Blue Tarpalechee, IAIA student housing director.
“I’ll say over the past three years, those students who stay up all night, with the exception of a couple, are almost always gone within a semester or two,” Tarpalechee said.
Effects of No Sleep
There are so many negative effects of sleep deprivation. It can lead to death, which students don’t seem to be aware of. according to the UHC study.
There are numerous side effects to sleep deprivation that are always almost noticeable, including the following:
- Mood swings
- More susceptible to illness because the immune system is lowered
- Weight gain
- Lower grades
- Increase in mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety
“People that are sleep deprived tend to carry a little extra body fat compared to people that get a good seven to nine hours of sleep a night,” Bishop said.
Tips for Better Sleep
Establishing a sleep schedule is one of the ways you can get consistent sleep, Bishop said.
“Go to bed at the same time and get up at the same time within a thirty-minute minute window, seven days a week, three hundred and sixty-five days of the year.”
Students are busy on some days of the week and then think they can catch up on sleep on the weekend, or when they’re less busy. It doesn’t work that way, Bishop said.
One of the resources available to students on the IAIA campus is called Night Out.
“Night Out is when a staff member brings in activities, such as adult coloring books and has discussions about pop culture, movies, and art,” Tarpalechee said.
“It’s a way to engage students so that we know that they aren’t up in the middle of the night being lonely.”
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