Got Sleep?
Sleep deprivation may prove to be a problem for people of all ages, but for students attempting to balance work, study, and personal activities, sleep often comes as an afterthought.
With days consumed by heavy schedules, many students end up having to delay their studying, or simply choose to stay out late socializing. In either case the result is the same: the night before a test or assignment, students must suddenly "cram" forcing themselves to stay awake all night while pouring over information that they are unlikely to retain for long.
For many, surviving by the most negligible amount of sleep possible has become an unconscious way of life.
Student Andrew Clark, carries a load of 16 units, while working up to 30 hours a week.
Though he had never previously considered himself to be sleep deprived, Clark explained that on weekdays he only sleeps for five hours a night.
"It's hard to balance everything with school, work, and your social life." Clark said. "Maybe I am sleep deprived."
Many Americans are unaware that they are suffering from a lack of sleep, according to polls conducted by the National Sleep Foundation. Because they have become accustomed to living without a healthy amount of sleep, some people do not realize that they are not functioning up to their full potential.
Even students who maintain healthy sleeping habits but suddenly shift their schedules by more than two hours may experience problems with attention and reasoning capacities.
Aside from the occasional headache, sleep deprivation may be recognized by complexities within emotions, reasoning, and memory abilities. It is not unusual for someone to experience an increase of depression, irritability, and anxiety while suffering from a lack of sleep.
Continuing in a pattern of poor sleeping habits can eventually lead to reduced physical health, weight gain and common cognitive difficulties, including poor problem solving and attention difficulties. Addicts can experience an increase in drug and alcohol use.
The average amount of sleep for college students is 6.8 hours per night, so there is a cause for concern for the average student as continuous nights of forced wakefulness may potentially lead to insomnia.
With days consumed by heavy schedules, many students end up having to delay their studying, or simply choose to stay out late socializing. In either case the result is the same: the night before a test or assignment, students must suddenly "cram" forcing themselves to stay awake all night while pouring over information that they are unlikely to retain for long.
For many, surviving by the most negligible amount of sleep possible has become an unconscious way of life.
Student Andrew Clark, carries a load of 16 units, while working up to 30 hours a week.
Though he had never previously considered himself to be sleep deprived, Clark explained that on weekdays he only sleeps for five hours a night.
"It's hard to balance everything with school, work, and your social life." Clark said. "Maybe I am sleep deprived."
Many Americans are unaware that they are suffering from a lack of sleep, according to polls conducted by the National Sleep Foundation. Because they have become accustomed to living without a healthy amount of sleep, some people do not realize that they are not functioning up to their full potential.
Even students who maintain healthy sleeping habits but suddenly shift their schedules by more than two hours may experience problems with attention and reasoning capacities.
Aside from the occasional headache, sleep deprivation may be recognized by complexities within emotions, reasoning, and memory abilities. It is not unusual for someone to experience an increase of depression, irritability, and anxiety while suffering from a lack of sleep.
Continuing in a pattern of poor sleeping habits can eventually lead to reduced physical health, weight gain and common cognitive difficulties, including poor problem solving and attention difficulties. Addicts can experience an increase in drug and alcohol use.
The average amount of sleep for college students is 6.8 hours per night, so there is a cause for concern for the average student as continuous nights of forced wakefulness may potentially lead to insomnia.
