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MONDAY, MAY 12, 2014
PAGE 18
FINALS GUIDE
HEALTH
Sleep contributes to academic success during finals week
HAYLEY FRANCIS
news@kansan.com
Adequate sleep is key for retaining and recalling information, the ability to focus, and efficient learning. College students should get eight to nine hours of sleep each night.
SARAH HOCKEL/KANSAN
Study, cram, coffee, repeat. Bloodshot eyes, yesterday's clothes and a to-go coffee cup in hand are the laughable signature signs of a college student, especially as finals approach. For many during this time of year, getting sufficient rest isn't a top priority. Recent studies suggest that sleep deprivation can actually have detrimental effects on one's academic performance and health.
According to a study in the Journal of Adolescent Health, 68 percent of students suffer from sleep deprivation caused by stress about school and life. Only about 30 percent of students get the recommended amount of sleep.
The average college student gets six hours of sleep each night. According to the National Sleep Foundation, any amount less than seven hours is defined as sleep loss.
The foundation recommends young adults, ages 18 and older, get seven to nine hours of sleep each night.
Students who get less than the recommended amount can suffer academically. Sleep deprivation affects the ability to focus, retain information and recall information.
Sleep improves learning and memory, according to The Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School. A sleep-deprived person cannot focus their attention optimally and therefore cannot learn efficiently.
Freshman Emily Deason of Lee's Summit, Mo., said she gets at least seven or eight hours of sleep each night because it is vital to her academic success.
["Sleep] really helps me get the grades that I do," Deason said. "Studying does come first, but only up until a certain point. When it's too late, I won't remember anything that I'm studying the next day."
Sleep plays a role in the consolidation of memory, which is essential for learning new information.
According to a 2011 German study, sleep helps the brain retain and store information because it strengthens the brain's neural connections.
It found that 85 percent of participants who took a nap after being exposed to new information got the information correct when they recalled it later. Comparatively, only 60 percent of participants who did not nap got the information right.
Simply put, sleep allowed the information to move from temporary storage in the
While students may think studying all night is the answer to academic success, they will have a better chance of doing well on upcoming exams if they sleep more. Proper rest can also help students stay healthy during busy times preventing several short- and long-term illnesses.
hippocampus to more permanent storage in areas of the cortex, making it more memorable when participants recalled it later. This switch was only possible with proper rest.
"The only times I've gotten sick in college have been times when I haven't gotten as much sleep as I should have," Deason said.
According to a 2013 study, people who suffer from sleep loss have increased food intake. The study compared participants' portion size choices after a period of no sleep and a period of sleep. It found that the less sleep participants got, the more likely they were to choose larger
Lack of sleep can also lead to weight gain.
Exercise is imperative to staying healthy and having lasting energy, but many people think they can rely on caffeine to maintain productivity. Late nights and early mornings are bearable thanks to endless cups of coffee or massive energy drinks. However, caffeine usually stays in one's system for six to eight hours. Depending on when people consume these beverages, the caffeine can contribute to insomnia when it's time for bed.
The good news is the negative side effects of sleep deprivation are preventable. There are
First of all, get sleep. Dr. Philip Alapat, medical director of Harris Health Sleep Disorders Center, recommends eight to nine hours of sleep each night, especially before tests, as reported by News Medical. Alapat also suggests studying during times of optimal brain function, which he says is from 6 to 8 p.m. This is the time, he says, that a person's brain has the greatest activity and neurons make the strongest connections.
Overall, sleep is important for college students because it plays a significant role in short- and long-term health and academic performance.
Insufficient sleep also leads to daytime fatigue, and that fatigue decreases physical activity. When the time comes to work off those after-hours calories, most people who are sleep deprived don't have the energy to do so. This cycle of inactivity can enhance weight gain.
Make time for sleep, especially with finals approaching. Getting proper rest is not a waste of time; it is vital for academic success and overall health.
food portions, feel more hungry and have increased levels of ghrelin, a hunger-stimulating hormone.
several ways students can make sure to combat health and academic struggles as they relate to sleep.
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Edited by Tara Bryant
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