Taylor Tate 

How much sleep do college students really get? Between School, work, sports, clubs, and personal life, it can be tough juggling all these activities and finding time to fit in sleep. Today we are going to investigate how much sleep college students get and why, as well its effects. 

In a peer-reviewed article, researchers wrote that college students average around six hours of sleep a night. “On average, most college students get 6 – 6.9 hours of sleep per night, and the college years are notoriously sleep-deprived due to an overload of activities.”

Sleep is very important for students, as it’s beneficial for their performance says Lawrence Epstein, a past president and Board of Directors member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. 

Epstein also emphasizes that, “Sleep is essential to feeling awake and alert, maintaining good health and working at peak performance.” She later writes, “Students getting adequate amounts of sleep performed better on memory and motor tasks than did students deprived of sleep.” 

Clete Kushida, MD, PhD, and fellow member of the AASM board of directors also notes that being alert is crucial, and that, “If the individual is routinely tired or sleepy during the daytime, odds are that he or she is not getting enough sleep.” 

Kushida also says,  “Self-reported shortened sleep time, erratic sleep/wake schedules, late bed and rise times, and poor sleep quality have been found to be negatively associated with school performance for adolescents from middle school through college.” Dr. Kushida then explains the conclusion of the variety of evidence of absence of sleep and its effects can result in “Poor academic performance.” 

Being a student who is actively involved with different activities and still maintaining a personal life can be difficult. Finding time to balance a healthy sleep schedule can be hard. Knowing the effects of a lack of sleep can help you change your sleep habits and better not only your academics, but your health. 

There is hope for the sleepless. In an article titled, 5 Ideas for Better Sleep, Medically reviewed by: Mary L. Gavin, MD, this article lists five ways for teens to improve sleep quality and quantity:

-Be active during the day.

-Avoid caffeine near bedtime.

-Say goodnight to electronics.

-Keep a sleep routine.

-Expect a good night’s sleep

Putting these simple methods to use can be beneficial for a good nights sleep in teens and young adults and turn around a poor sleep schedule in turn, not only helping improve sleep but also improving your overall health.