Alive at midnight, but Zombie U. afternoons
College students often cheat sleep but simple strategies offer help
Associated Press
Published 10:03 p.m., Thursday, August 30, 2012
"College health officials are finally realizing that healthy sleep habits are a potential miracle drug for much of what ails the famously frazzled modern American college student: anxiety, depression, physical health problems and — more than most students realize — academic troubles. Some studies have found students getting adequate sleep average a full letter grade higher than those who don't.
But adolescent biorhythms make it hard enough for college students to get the sleep they need, a recommended nine hours. On top of that, campus life turns out to resemble a giant laboratory experiment designed for maximum sleep deprivation: irregular schedules, newfound freedom, endless social interaction, loud and crowded housing, late-night exercise and food washed down by booze, coffee and energy drinks. Campuses pulsing with energy at midnight by mid-afternoon resemble Zombie U., with students dozing in library chairs and even in coffee shops.
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Sleep tips
Exercise regularly, but not after the early evening. Avoid caffeine after 2 p.m. Try to avoid late-night eating and alcohol, but don't go to bed hungry, either.
Don't use electronics — laptops, tablets, smart phones, etc. — late at night.
Make your bed a place just for sleep. Don't study, watch TV or do anything else there (or not much else).
If you have early classes on some days, try not to sleep in on the others.
Try to avoid naps, and if you do nap, nap before 3 p.m. and for no more than 20 minutes.
Set your alarm clock — but for the evening, at a reasonable bedtime. That way, you're less likely need it in the morning."
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