Balancing Study and Sleep

By Tiffany Meredith

Most college-age students know how important sleep is and their bodies beg for rest, but many choose to do other things rather than hit the hay.

'It''s hard to balance social life and school life, and then find time for adequate sleep,' said Andrea Jensen, a pre-dietetics major from Wadsworth, Ohio. 'I can''t give it up because it seems more important to have fun and friends than to have the extra hour of sleep.'

According to the National Sleep Foundation, 53 percent of young adults sleep less to get more done.

Many students choose to study a few more hours or surf Facebook and don''t get the prescribed seven to nine hours of sleep. Inadequate sleep may increase acne problems or lead to aggressive behavior. Lack of sleep may also lead to overeating because sleep helps balance appetite by regulating levels of ghrelin and leptin hormones. Lack of sleep also decreases one''s ability to learn, listen and concentrate - all essential skills for college students.

'If I don''t get enough sleep, it affects my schoolwork,' said Brady Grayson, an open major from Veil, Colo. 'I try to do homework in the library and I fall asleep.'

Dr. Keith Willmore, a family physician and director of the Student Health Center, said sleep is vital for the body to perform its best.

'When it comes to academic performance, sleep helps restore the brain function to normal,' Willmore said. 'So if someone is only getting five to six hours, it will start affecting their performance because their brain is not functioning up to par.'

Zach Capra, a sophomore from Kingwood, Texas, majoring in economics, has trouble falling asleep at night and sleeping soundly once he does. However, he said some things - like listening to relaxing music, working out during the day or not taking naps after 3 p.m. - can help him fall asleep at night.

'One of the best things to do is clear your mind before you go to sleep,' Capra said. 'And one of the best ways to do that is by writing in a journal or reading a book.'

Sometimes people can''t sleep because of sleeping disorders, physical problems or anxiety and stress. It may be necessary to seek professional help.

Scott Rasmussen, a recently graduated student in political science, said his wife has complained about his snoring and told him that sometimes he will go up to 20 seconds without breathing. Rasmussen said he sleeps soundly at night, but feels tired during the day. He recently went to an ear, nose and throat specialist to possibly be diagnosed with a sleep disorder.

'My wife explained what she heard and the doctor said it sounds like sleep apnea,' Rasmussen said.

Rasmussen is waiting for a diagnosis after completing a directed sleep-study, which involved machines monitoring his eye movement, heart beat, leg movement, brain activity and snoring habits. He said he has learned recently how important sleep is to health.

'Sleep apnea is common and a lot of people have it and don''t know,' he said. 'It is related to a lot of heart problems because you are deprived of oxygen, so it is better to find out sooner than later.'

Because sleep is so important to daily life functions such as short-term memory, the ability to concentrate and the ability to internalize things, students should reconsider the time they spend sleeping, Willmore said.

'Even just mild sleep deprivation will cause these problems,' he said. 'College students ideally should get eight to 10 hours.'