A healthy amount of sleep can be a key factor in a student’s ability to focus and succeed in school.
But, many students are giving up precious sleeping hours to get through coursework, and this sleep deprivation can be dangerous to a student’s health, and can even end up being counterproductive by leading to lower grades.
“The amount of sleep that a college student gets is one of the strongest predictors of academic success,” according to a story from the University of Michigan Student Life department. “Sleep plays a key role in helping students fix and consolidate memories, plus prevent decay of memories.”
Unfortunately, most students don’t end up getting enough sleep.
Between cramming for finals, drinking lots of caffeine, and staying up all night, getting less than the eight recommended hours of sleep is pretty standard for students. This classic combination can be detrimental.
“Any prolonged sleep deprivation will affect your mood, energy level and ability to focus, concentrate and learn, which directly affects your academic performance,” according to Dr. Philip Alapat from Harris Health. “Any prolonged sleep deprivation will affect your mood, energy level and ability to focus, concentrate and learn, which directly affects your academic performance.”
Not only can sleep deprivation affect schoolwork and grades, but it can also be harmful to a student outside of the classroom.
The dangers of sleep deprivation are apparent on the road; the American Academy of Sleep Medicine reports that one in every five serious motor vehicle injuries is related to driver fatigue, with 80,000 drivers falling asleep behind the wheel every day and 250,000 accidents every year related to sleep.
“If I don’t get enough sleep, I don’t feel like I am safe to be in a vehicle,” says SLCC student Connie Matthews. “My reaction time is not what it should be.”
Practicing good time management techniques can actually impact a student’s health.
Salt Lake Community College has provided tutorial videos that any student can incorporate into their studying routine. Some tips include studying during the daytime, creating a study plan for each session, and studying while you wait.
Juggling student priorities isn’t always easy, but don’t sacrifice those precious dreams in lieu of homework. Using time management skills and getting enough sleep will help you stay on track.
