We all know that finals mean no sleep. The week before finals and the week after, we are at a serious lack of the z's. The first week we are so stressed about whats coming and then the week after, we still can not get back to our regular sleep patterns. Being a walking zombie comes with its consequences. We all know we should get some rest and everyone always says you'll do better with some sleep. This is actually true, I know its hard to rest when we have so much going on but, all students need to learn to put some time aside to tend to their sleep needs.

Most people do not even know what sleep deprivation is and the real damage that it can cause to your body. A lot of people feel that you can only experience side effects of sleep deprivation if you have it chronically. This is not the case, even with acute sleep deprivation, you can see side effects in your well being.

Everyone has their different needs. First you should determine how much sleep YOU need. The average adult needs 6-8 but some of us need more and some of us (the lucky ones) need less. Figuring out what is a healthy amount of rest for you and your body is the first step in avoiding sleep deprivation.

Put away your phone and laptop for real. Stop using al your electronic devices at least half an hour before you plan on falling asleep. This will help you mind to unwind and ease into sleep. If you keep your bed just for sleeping instead of for texting, tweeting, tindering or face booking you will fall asleep much faster once you reach your bed.

Learning how to cat-nap is also a great way to alleviate some of the effects of sleep deprivation. As long as the environment is right, taking a nap can give you the refreshing rest you need. If you can squeeze in thirty minutes, you'll give your brain the break it needs. When you have a day where you aren't as busy, its good to catch up on your missed sleep.