NANCY SAFINICK & CONNIE HORTON
Health Columnists
“We have a sleep crisis in America,” said Cornell professor James Maas, author of “Power Sleep.”
Indeed, sleep deprivation is so rampant on college campuses that it seems normal. But it actually puts great risk on one’s physical and mental health. Although the average person needs eight to nine hours of sleep per night, many college students try regularly to get by on six hours or less.
Sleep deprivation has many effects: impaired concentration and memory, problems making decisions, suppressed immune systems and increased likelihood of automobile accidents. Mood struggles such as depression and anxiety are also often associated with a lack of sleep.
For those who add alcohol to the mix, the risks are greater. A University of Michigan medical school study found that for many college students, the combination of three factors – stress, sleep deprivation and alcohol – act as a “recipe for depression.”
Although students often try to patch together sleep by staying up very late and taking periodic naps during the day, this is not ideal, because the body and mind do best when they have the opportunity for an extended period of sustained sleep. This allows for one to pass through various cycles – a pattern of REM (rapid-eye movement) sleep and four stages of non-rapid eye movement, essentially moving from light to very deep sleep.
In a typical night, given enough hours of sleep, a person will cycle through these stages four or five times. The National Sleep Foundation argues that maintaining this pattern of what they call “sleep architecture” is critical to an individual gaining the full restorative potential from their sleep.
Keeping a regular bedtime routine, avoiding caffeine and disturbing images late in the day and getting plenty of exercise (but not too close to bedtime) have been shown to help maximize those hours spent snoozing. Sleeping in when tired can be tempting, but if the body gets into a habit of doing so, it can throw off an individual’s sleep cycle and make it difficult to get to sleep at a reasonable hour.
For those having difficulty getting to sleep, most sleep hygiene experts recommend that if an individual tosses and turns for 15 or 30 minutes, to get out of bed and do some other activity, then come try to sleep again after that activity. Avoid using the bed for things such as studying, so the body associates the bed only with sleep.
Consuming alcohol in order to fall asleep is usually not a good strategy. Although it may increase drowsiness and hasten the descent into sleep, it often disturbs the sleep cycle and can even result in middle-of-the-night insomnia.
College students should seriously consider whether they get enough sleep. Keep in mind that eight to nine hours is what most human bodies actually need. According to Maas, adequate sleep is the best way to increase both one’s lifespan and quality of life.
09-22-2005
