Many college students suffer from sleep deprivation. According to sleep-deprivation.com, “most people need six to eight hours of sleep each night to function properly,” and about 20 percent of college students have sleeping disorders. According to stateuniversity.com, “15% of college students admit that they fall asleep in class,” and a study by the National Sleep Foundation found that 63% of college students do not get enough sleep. Sleep deprivation can negatively affect students’ academics as well as their general health.
Causes of sleep deprivation in college students vary. Sleep deprivation can be an effect of dealing with the environmental transition from life at home to life in a dorm, or it might be the result of an unusual schedule for school and extracurricular activities. More causes of sleep deprivation in college students include staying up late to study or to party. According to sleep-deprivation.com, excessive partying can also cause sleep deprivation “as alcohol can disturb sleeping patterns.” Finally, ingesting caffeine before bed can also cause sleep deprivation by preventing students from sleeping as deeply as they would without caffeine.
Effects of sleep deprivation in college students can include poorer academic performance as well as poorer overall health. For example, stateuniversity.com notes that sleep deprivation can lead to slow thinking and reaction times, forgetfulness, poor attentiveness, and moodiness. These effects can alter a students performance in the classroom and ability to retain information. Also, sleep-deprivation.com mentions that “seizure, stroke, and heart attacks” can also be consequences of sleep deprivation.
Overall, sleep deprivation affects students by inhibiting their academic performance and can have a negative effect on their overall health. Sleep deprivation can decrease students’ ability to retain information and to concentrate, making studying even harder. Sleep deprivation can also cause harmful physical effects such as seizure, strokes, and heart attacks. Exercising regularly can help to improve upon sleep deprivation by aiding students to sleep better at night. Sleep deprivation can harm students’ academic performance, and therefore college students should be wary of their schedules and sleep patterns to prevent the harmful effects of lack of sleep.
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