It really bothers me when people assume that college students must only get four hours of sleep each night and frequently pull all-nighters. Maybe this is true for some people, but it definitely isn’t healthy. It is true that the majority of college students don’t get enough sleep. However, this is not as trivial a matter as one might think. Lack of sleep, especially over time, can have serious repercussions.

 Sometimes it seems like there aren’t enough hours in a day. As college students, we are some of the busiest people on Earth. We have so many commitments pulling us here and there. Unfortunately, we tend to cut one of the most necessary things from our day when things get busy: our sleep. Maybe you’re thinking that no one has time to sleep. There is a lot to do, sometimes too many good things.  With prioritizing and good time management, you can get enough sleep. If you just don’t find it possible to get enough shut-eye, maybe you are involved in too much.

In addition to your physical functioning, sleep also has an effect on your social, emotional, and academic functioning. Some people get crabby or more emotional when they don’t get enough sleep. It’s also harder to concentrate on schoolwork when you are tired. Productivity and quality of work tend to decrease if you have not gotten enough sleep. Then you end up staying later to get things done, and the cycle continues. Lack of sleep can even compromise your immune system and make you more likely to get sick. That will put you even more behind on your to-do list. Why do we deprive ourselves of sleep when it is so vital to our functioning?

So make sleep a priority no matter how busy you are. I am not saying that you should make your bedtime every night. It’s not realistic. Some of the best conversations happen when you should be going to bed. There are weeks when things just happen to put you behind. It isn’t always possible to get to bed when you should. But overall, it is definitely a good decision to get to bed on time. Sometimes it’s a sacrifice to go to bed at a decent hour, but it’s a sacrifice that is well worth making. Your body will thank you, and you will be able to live a life of vitality and tackle whatever it is that comes your way. Try to get at least 8 hours of sleep each night. As you study for finals and do final papers, it will be easier to work when you feel refreshed. Sweet dreams to you as you seek to get the rest your body needs for a healthy, happy you.

Sleep Facts from National Sleep Foundation

Sleep deprivation over time has been linked to health problems such as negative mood, decreased productivity, and safety issues

Many scientific studies have shown correlations between poor or insufficient sleep and diseases, including obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes

As you get older, you may wake more frequently through the night and get less nighttime sleep, but your need for sleep is no less than before