With finals quickly approaching, most of us are likely to stay up late cramming and then wake up early to run to class. Some of us may even find ourselves pulling all-nighters to finish up that last paper, or to prepare for that huge exam. However, is this really helping us? Personally, I get less than six hours of sleep every night. I thought it would be interesting to do some research and find out what is really happening to my body when I do this to myself over and over again. The results will shock you, and they may even make you want to rethink your current sleep schedule.
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute states that teens need nine to 10 hours of sleep every night, and adolescents and adults need seven to eight hours every night. Without these precious hours of rest, you will begin to see negative effects on your mind and body. College students today are known for suffering from late nights and early mornings. In a study done by the University of Cincinnati, over 55 percent of students surveyed slept less than seven hours each night. After hearing these facts, you may be thinking, “So what if I’m tired?” or “What does it matter if I don’t get enough sleep?” But, there is real evidence that losing sleep can hurt your health.
So, what happens when to your body when you don’t get enough sleep? The most common and easily noticeable thing is the effect it has on your mind. According to HealthLine, after continuous nights of lost sleep, some individuals might feel like their thinking is clouded. They may suffer from confusion and inability to focus. They may also have a harder time making decisions, staying alert, and remembering to complete tasks. This is bad news for college students, because most often, their livelihood depends on remembering to complete all of their assignments on time. Some people may even find themselves experiencing mood swings, anxiety, or lack of motivation.
Another side effect of lost Z’s is a weakened immune system. Those of us who miss out on multiple hours of sleep repeatedly throughout the semester may tend to get sick quicker and longer than others on campus. On top of these short term effects, those of us who skip out on proper amounts of shut-eye may end up at a higher risk for things like heart disease, stroke, and even certain types of cancer. Do I have you rethinking that all-nighter yet?
After seeing the facts, you may be starting to rethink if losing all of that sleep is even worth it. Since you may end up having such a hard time focusing or making decisions, will you even perform up to your full potential on that test if you stay up all night before it? Odds are, you will actually perform worse if you end up suffering from any of these side effects (and most of us do). What can we actually do to fit all of that work into the day, though?
Without those night time hours, we may think that we can’t fit all of that work in. However, time management techniques can be a life saver in these types of situations. Going to bed earlier can help you to wake up earlier, which will motivate you to get your day started earlier. Try going to bed right when you start to feel tired at night, and finishing your work in the morning when you’ve had a full eight hours. You may see a positive effect on your assignment, but you’ll most likely see a positive effect in your health and wellbeing as well!
Happy studying!
Get some sleep tonight!
