Sleep deprivation and study stress

The average human being requires seven to eight hours of sleep a night. The average American gets about six and a half hours a night. Americans are sleeping less than they were 50 years ago as they try to fit more and more into the same 24-hour period.

This holds especially true for college students, whose sleep schedules can be further interrupted or even temporarily suspendevd as they try to balance classes, work, friends, extracurriculars, studying and everything else that is demanded of them. Sleep deprivation is quickly becoming a common occurrence on college campuses, such as St. Olaf.

While the consequences of sleep deprivation can be far-reaching, affecting future weight gain or likelihood of stroke or heart attack, sleep deprivation also has immediate impacts. 

Consider this: when was the last time you or one of your friends said something along the lines of, "I am so tired?" Chances are, you did not have to think hard. Our continual fatigue implies that as a student body, we are more succeptible to irritability, lack of attention and memory loss.

All of these consequences often come to light as finals week begins to loom. Finals week takes an already erratic sleep schedule and introduces another factor that reduces the chances students will get a good night's sleep: stress. 

Anna Linn Currie '13 said, "I try to go to bed earlier the night before an exam because a good night's sleep is important, but sometimes I have trouble falling asleep or don't sleep as well because I'm stressed out." 

Currie admitted that her sleep habits are not ideal in the first place.

"I normally get six to seven hours of sleep a night because I don't always get enough done during the day and then I stay up late doing homework and if I have a paper due I will probably stay up until it's done," she said.

To deal with the problem of sleep or lack thereof, Alyssa Lund '13 tries to plan out a homework schedule. 

"I'm freakishly organized," she said.  Lund admitted that while she cannot always keep to this schedule, the benefits are tangible when she does.

"I get stressed out easily when I have big impending tests," she said. "My schedule helps me stay pretty chill about everything." 

Lund also said that while she may not sacrifice too much sleep for finals, she does give up a social life. 

"My friends are asking me to come play croquet and I can't," she said.  "But it's only for the next couple of weeks and I still have the weekends."

For students feeling stressed and tired, the school offers various solutions to combat this issue. This year the Student Activities Center is hosting Finals Fun where various events will be offered, though these events have not yet been finalized. As always, mandatory 23 quiet hours will be enforced in college dorms. 

Pamela McDowell, Director of Residence Life, views this rule as the "college's way to reinforce its mission. The focus of residence halls is to support academics, she said. These quiet hours help people finish papers, take naps, and study."

However, McDowell does caution students that dorms can get noisy because of people moving out for the summer and suggests that the library may be a better study environment during the day.

Ingrid Leach '10, a student worker in the Wellness Center, reminds students that the Wellness Center is here for them, as are additional counseling services if students feel too stressed.

Leach said that around this time the number of students who take advantage of the counseling services rises. 

"Whatever you do," she said, "It is important to handle your stress in healthy ways because your stress effects you physically, mentally, and emotionally." 

Leach also encourages students not to drink to handle stress because drinking generally makes the problem worse, especially if that problem stems from a lack of sleep.

While consuming alcohol does make people drowsy, the alcohol in their system prevents them from sleeping well.  Drinking before bed can increase the number of times one wakes up in the night, which prevents the body from getting enough deep sleep.

This deep sleep is vital for your body to function properly, even as you demand  it write papers and remember obscure facts during times of stress such as the week of finals.

If you are feeling stressed during finals week, the Wellness Center is open during chapel time every day as well as at varying hours every afternoon and evening during the week.
 

taylorb@stolaf.edu