California State University, Stanislaus (Stan State) students can be seen taking naps around campus
California State University, Stanislaus (Stan State) students can be seen taking naps around campus.
If you walk into the campus library during the last few weeks of the semester chances are you might see somebody taking a nap on the couch.
As the semester is coming to an end many students are resorting to pulling all-nighters to get assignments done. Seven out of ten students surveyed in the library admitted to having pulled an all-nighter to get an assignment completed on time.
According to the University Health Center at University of Georgia (UOG) college students get an average of six hours of sleep.
It’s no surprise that college students are not getting enough sleep but the effects can be harmful.
23.6 percent of California State University, Stanislaus (Stan State), students reported sleep difficulties as the #2 academic impact affecting their individual academic performance within the last 12 months in the National College Health Assessment (NCHA).
Aside from academic performance, UOG reports that lack of sleep can cause a number of difficult experiences. Some include, but not limited to, illness, anxiety, depression and mood changes.
For some students quality of sleep began to decrease as early as high school, but has only gotten worse in college.
“In my senior year of high school, things were a bit intense and I pulled a few all-nighters. That was only a few times I had to do that. Now in college, it’s every day that I don’t sleep that much. It’s more inconsistent” Julia Cornejo (freshman, Music Education) said.
Theresa Ramirez (senior, Music Education) has had a similar experience.
“This was a habit I developed in high school was pulling all-nighters, that was the sleep schedule I stuck to,” Ramirez said. “My sophomore and junior year I was a more regular sleep schedule. My senior year I started working more closing shifts at work, so now I’m super sleep deprived again.”
For students trying to juggle work, a school schedule and a social life it can be stressful and the main cause of sleep deprivation
“A little bit of everything, but it’s definitely stress,” Cornejo said when asked why her sleeping pattern had changed. “If I know that I don’t know a part that we are going to run the next day. I’m stressed out about, ‘okay, well I have to wake up early and go to the [music] department and practice.”
To combat the effects of sleep deprivation The American College Health Association provides the following tips for better quality sleep.
Reduce stress by doing things that relax you, such as exercise.
If you find yourself worrying, keep a “worrying journal” where you list out any concerns you may have
Set and maintain a regular sleep and wake schedule.
If you do find yourself sleep deprived take a nap to pay off a sleep debt.
With less than a full week of classes left, students have some serious resting to look forward to.