For many students, college years are filled with fun and amazing experiences. However, campus life can be very hectic, as students juggle multiple responsibilities. For some, juggling the demands of work, academics, and social responsibilities proves overwhelming, and sleep becomes less of a priority.
The common assumption is that missing a few hours of slumber each night to study or work on assignments does not cause any harm. However, while you may get away with periodically missing sleep, going without quality slumber for long can have severe implications for your mental and physical wellbeing. Here is a balanced discussion of some reasons college students sleep more.
- Quality Sleep Is Linked to Better Memory
Recent studies have found a clear link between the quality of sleep a person gets and their educational performance. At this stage in your academic life, experts recommend eight hours of uninterrupted slumber every night.
Students need to be reminded that lack of siesta can affect their ability to remember important concepts. If you make it a habit of not getting the required amount of quality sleep, your capacity to recall concepts taught in class will start to diminish.
This can lead to a decline in your cognitive function and negatively affect your academic performance. Students who don’t get enough sleep can not focus on tasks and struggle with impeded creativity. Instead of staying up all night working on an assignment, hire a professional essay writer to do your project.
- Sleep Boosts the Immune System
Recent studies have explored a possible correlation between sleeping behaviors and individuals’ immune systems. When the immune system is functioning in its optimal state, the body preserves a subtle balance, fighting diseases and keeping one healthy.
Quality sleep boosts the body’s immune function by offering essential support. Those struggling with chronic sleep deprivation tend to suffer from interruptions to the circadian rhythms. In turn, this interferes with the healthy performance of their immune systems.
Quality slumber underpins the capability of the immune system to recognize and deal with harmful antigens. During sleep, your breathing and muscle activity slows down, leaving room for energy to go towards immune responses. The bottom line is that a lack of sleep compromises your ability to fend off viruses and prevent infections.
- Sleep Helps with Weight Management
Another reason to prioritize sleep is its link to weight management. If you are looking to manage your weight, understand that the quality of your sleep may be just as important as your diet and physical activity. According to experts, more than 35% of people in the United States obtain sufficient slumber.
Evidence suggests that shorter sleeping durations increase people’s chances of becoming obese. While other factors predispose people to obesity, sleep deficiency is one of the major ones.
According to researchers, shorter sleep affects people’s feelings of hunger. When you are awake longer, you are more likely to feel hungry during the night and rely on unhealthy snacks to get yourself full.
Also, shorter sleep hours affect levels of hunger hormones, which make people feel hungrier. The hormones tell your brain that you need more food, causing you to consume more calories than you need. Not getting enough snooze time may also affect your motivation to engage in physical activity, which reduces your ability to burn calories.
- Sleep Deprivation Is Linked to Emotional and Mental Issues
Quality sleep is linked to emotional regulation. In general, theoretical models suggest a link between the quality of students’ slumber and their ability to control emotions. However, more empirical studies are needed to test this hypothesized connection.
In terms of mental health, evidence shows that not getting enough sleep predisposes you to disorders like depression and anxiety. With studies reporting rising mental health problems among college students, prioritizing sleep is more important than ever.
Recent studies have shown that poor sleep habits among college students negatively affect academic performance and functioning during the day. Students who experience sleep disorders like insomnia and apnea tend to have poor grades.
They also face a greater risk of mental health complications. As a student, understand that pulling all-nighters will only lead to you getting poor grades.
It is important to practice healthy sleep habits. This means going to bed early and getting out of bed around the same time each day. Avoid doing non-sleep-related activities on your bed, including studying or watching movies. Also, limit daytime naps and stay away from caffeinated drinks.
