Sleep

Our parents, doctors, everyone says that we need at least 8 hours asleep at night. 8 hours helps our memory, restores our energy that we used up during the day, rebuilds and restores muscle tissue, helps our mood and concentration, helps our nerve system and immune system, and improves short term memory. If all of this is true, why do college students not aim for more sleep? Why do college students feel “as long as I get 5 hours I am good?” Why are college students still able to function just as well with 6 hours as 8 hours? Why do college students always assume they can sleep tomorrow and then never do? How are college students suppose to balance sleep along with everything else in life? Why do college students only sleep when they are sick? Why do college students also want sleep? When did college students discover that naps are not just for babies? Why are college students always tired in the morning but wake up towards the evening?

Honestly, I have no idea why students do not try to get more sleep because most students complain about not getting enough sleep and are always tired. Whenever you ask a college student “how are you?” they always reply with either “good” or “tired.” I think college students think 5 hours of sleep is enough because they feel homework is more important than sleep. They feel it does not matter how long it takes as long as they get it done. To make them feel better about not going to bed when they originally planned they say “as long as I get at least 5 hours I will be okay.” The next thought is normally “I will get more sleep tomorrow night” which everyone knows tomorrow never comes. Then finally the week is here and no classes and homework is not due for a couple more days, the thought is “I can actually get some sleep. “ However, the phones rings about an activity that is going on tonight and the person on the other lines asks “would you like to hang out this evening?” The thought that goes through the students head is , well I did homework all week and I am pretty much caught up, one night will not hurt. The student does not get back until 2 am and has to be someone where the next morning at 10 am. The student again only gets 6 hours of sleep. The cycle continues….it also does not help if the student works better at night than in the morning.

I think the whole thing boils down to time management. That is the hardest thing for me since I have been at college. Hanging out with friends and doing homework is really not the same thing as hanging out with friends and going to the movies. Unfortunately for us the days of being able to have free time does not exist anymore, that also has a lot to do with your major. It is just not fair how other majors have way more free time than engineering students.

Faceboook! Facebook is probably the biggest distraction for everyone. I know I am guilty of using Facebook to procrastinate homework, and I know if I had a Farmville I would never get off. I know, I know I am probably the only person on campus that does not have a Farmville. If we did not get on Facebook so much and did not have it up in the background when we are doing homework, I know I would finish my homework 10 times faster. The thing that gets me most is why is Facebook so addicting? How can people spend hours on it? I guess, reading other people’s profiles, sending messages and wall posts to people, taking quizzes to see what you are like, playing games, poking people, reading all the news feed, etc is what takes so much time. I know I am guilty, I have literally spent a whole day on Facebook and did not even realize it, and I know for a fact I am not the only one. If we know we would complete the task faster if we were not on Facebook, then why do we get on Facebook anyway? Even after we do all our homework for tomorrow, we still get on Faceboook before we go to bed. This website distracts us and keeps us from sleeping. I heard about it all the time in class, “last night I was watching something on youTube, hulu, and talking on Facebook, that is why I did not get to bed until about 3 am.”

For the people who live in a dorm, it is understandable to be kept awake by all the people hanging out in the hallway. I know one time my roommate tried to go to bed about 9:30pm and I stayed up at my computer doing homework. She stayed awake because there were people outside the room talking and screaming until about 2:30am. So, if it is because you are living in a dorm that is keeping you up at night, then at least it is not your fault. I know my roommate puts her iPod in her ears before she goes to bed and I am sure that helps block the sound which would make it easier to fall asleep.

If you are getting about 8 hours asleep at night, keep up the good work, you are on a roll. If you are not getting 8 hours of sleep you are like the rest of campus and maybe pointing out what the biggest distractions are will help you know what to improve. I know for me, if I improved on time management I might get to bed earlier than I have been which would let me get more sleep. The first step for me is getting off Facebook while I am doing my homework. Good luck on finding your first step.