Sixty-three percent of college students do not get enough sleep, according to a recent study by the National Sleep Foundation.
This sleep deprivation can lead to sleep apnea, a breathing disorder characterized by brief interruptions of breathing during sleep, according to the foundation. Sleep apnea affects as many as 18 million Americans.
Some AU students said they did not get enough sleep, but could not say how many hours of sleep they get on average because their sleeping hours change based on their workload. They said they did not feel they could get all of their work done while also sleeping the recommended seven to nine hours each night.
"Professors don't seem to realize that we have other classes and overload you with work, so you have to prioritize what actually gets done," said Maia Gantcheva, a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences, adding that it would help to be more organized.
Other reasons students don't sleep include stress, roommates, fire alarms or miscellaneous noise. While individual roommates have to decide how to deal with sleeping patterns that might conflict, there are some general approaches that may help.
Brian Schachter, a junior in the School of Communication, has a simple strategy to get to sleep - put on headphones and listen to music. Unlike having a television on, there is no light to deal with, he said, and you listen only to want you want to hear.
The Counseling Center suggests not using caffeine to stay awake or sleeping pills or alcohol to get to sleep, according to its Web site.
The site also recommends not oversleeping after going to bed late. Oversleeping or taking naps can reset a person's body clock, which can cause drowsiness in the middle of the day or at other times when one would usually be alert.
The best sleep is acquired by keeping the same sleeping pattern each day, according to the Center's site. Exercising regularly increases restful sleep, and when feeling tired, getting up and moving around helps to wake up a bit.
Self-management is more important when it comes to sleeping, according to the Center's site states knowing one's sleep patterns and what triggers restless sleep, is better than lying awake, it says.
When trying to sleep, the Web site says it helps to relax or do some light reading. Another way to not stress is to make a list of tasks for the next day. Then let it go until morning and sleep.
More information on sleep disorders and stress management can be found at the Counseling Center's Web site (www.american.edu/ocl/counseling), the American Psychological Association (www.apa.org) or the National Sleep Foundation (www.sleepfoundation.org).
Signs of sleep deprivation
- eyelids feel heavy
- dozing off while reading, watching television or sitting in meetings or traffic
- slow thinking and reaction time
- difficulty concentrating or understanding directions
- forgetfulness, frequent errors or mistakes
- poor attentiveness or judgment in changing and/or complex situations
- difficulty in solving problems
- moodiness
- depression
- negativity
- irritability
- impatience
-Compiled from National Sleep Foundation report and AU Counseling Center Web site
