It’s 1 o’clock in the morning and just as you finally finish your research paper for your morning class the next day you get a call from a friend reminding you that the quiz that was scheduled one month ago will be taking place tomorrow in your other class. Frustrated by the fact that this has slipped your mind you realize the only option now is to down that next cup of coffee so as to at least get in another hour of studying. You now are also forced to make the choice of either sacrificing an hour and a half of sleep if you still want to get your morning run in allowing you to feel refreshed at the start of a new day or keeping the “Z’s” (in addition to the pounds since you’ve been munching all night in an effort to stay alert) to avoid the risk of falling asleep in class. There are advantages to both: On one hand the extra sleep will allow you to stay focused in all of your classes for the next day but at the same time the exercise will keep your blood flow and metabolism at its best providing natural energy. Also let us not forget that you must confront yet again the cancellation of the morning coffee date you had set with your friends the next day the one you keep rescheduling. There is so much to do and even with the best time management skills still so little time. It seems as though the balance of academic achievement health and fitness and maintaining even a minimal social life can all endure if and only if one obstacle were to be eliminated: the significance of sleep.
Most doctors recommend college students sleep seven to eight hoursper night yet many get five to six hours or less on a good day. Sleep deprivation is a common issue with college students especially for those involved in extra-curricular activities. Not getting enough sleep affects more than just that rough half-hour struggle in the morning to awaken while fighting with your alarm clock it can also impact cognitive abilities throughout the day cause weight gain and physical fatigue and produce overall mental and emotional stress.
In today’s modernized society the idea of sleep has received its own stigma.We are busy important people who has time for sleep? Some like to almost boast about their lack of sleep after all if you are getting a full eight hours of rest what kind of productive active citizen can you possibly be? Although efficiency is admired in this fast paced culture when gone too far its consequences may actually outweigh its benefits.
What’s the point of staying up late all night to prepare for an exam if when you do take it your mental capacity is not at its peak? Why get up early and go to the gym to maintain a healthy lifestyle when your health is already being compromised by dealing with sleep debt? Is catching up with your friend even worthwhile if ypu are rushed and are too tired to even attentively listen to what he or she has to say?
These dilemmas are unfortunately often resolved by some legal and illegal stimulants such as the successful global coffee market any type of sugar substances soda energy drinks adderall and more. Though crashing tends to be a difficulty when relying on such substances when students face challenging situations the mentality is often that it is worth the eventual cost. Whatever the fix may be for each student many people are clearly suffering in one way or another from a lack of sufficient sleep.
Considering the fact that we spend one-third of our lives asleep it is safe to say that this historically universal tradition is all but unnecessary. Sometimes simply resting unwinding and taking time off alone to relax and catch up on much needed sleep is the most productive decision one can make.