Sleepless in Warwick: why is sleeping so important for students?

We are all aware of the adage that “everybody needs a good eight hours of sleep” to stay healthy, and it’s a belief that’s heavily supported by scientific research. The benefits of sleeping for eight hours uninterrupted include healthier immune system function, alertness, improved long term memory, reduced risk of chronic health conditions such as diabetes, obesity, sleep apnoea and a slightly longer life.

Despite this, many university students struggle to get a full eight hours, with researchers at the University of Georgia finding the average college student only slept six hours a night. Studies have also shown that after two weeks of sleeping six hours or less a night, students feel as bad and perform as poorly as someone who has gone without sleep for two days.

I am no longer forced to wake up or sleep early for school

The image of sleep deprived students with flasks of coffee and dark under eye circles is one familiar to many. It may even be you and it certainly is me. The reality is that getting eight hours of sleep in an environment that almost seems tireless can be extremely hard. It can be so much so that sleep almost becomes an afterthought as students juggle multiple deadlines, society and career-related obligations and sporting events all whilst maintaining an active social life which in itself often leads to nights out that culminate in getting into bed during the early hours of the morning. It really isn’t a surprise that most of us dread 9am lectures and many choose to skip them for a couple extra hours of sleep.

But the result of missing too many hours of sleep for a long time is sleep deprivation and this can negatively impact our studies. The days when I’ve had fewer than six hours sleep are always a struggle to get through and I find my head lolling in lectures. I battle to concentrate and contribute in seminars as I’m too focused on keeping my eyes open. This is a stark contrast to the few nights where I do manage to get a full eight hours of sleep. On these days I feel more motivated to complete work tasks, feel more energised and can focus for much longer on tedious readings.

I have always had a dysfunctional relationship with sleep because I’m easily distracted by the never-ending streams of tweets, videos and pictures that can be found on social media. Since coming to university, I have found I have a lot less time to be distracted by social media and yet my relationship with sleep remains unhealthy. It has become a lot less structured as I am no longer forced to wake up or sleep early for school and with this lack of structure has come feelings of apathy towards my sleep routine and the normalisation of my sleep deprived state despite feeling all the negative effects of it.

Ensure that any naps you take aren’t longer than three hours

The mind needs rest especially at university where our brains are always being stretched to their maximum. Data shows that sleep loss leads to learning and memory impairment and these are the two things that are essential to succeed in university. Hope is not lost though – just as it is possible to slip into unhealthy sleep patterns, it is possible to fix unhealthy sleeping patterns and reset your internal sleep clock.

Resetting your sleep pattern should be done gradually over time. Sleeping an hour earlier each night is one way to help. Ensure that any naps you take aren’t longer than three hours as this can disturb when you begin to feel tired. Avoid bright lights before you go to sleep and this includes the lights from mobile devices and laptops as these can confuse your body-clock and keep you up later. Avoid caffeinated drinks and eating meals late at night and try to wake up at the same time every day. These little tips should help you maintain a healthier sleep pattern that will improve your focus and concentration but if you are still struggling with maintaining a healthy sleep routine, more advice can be found on the wellbeing support services page.