Get some sleep, you earned it!

For many college students, getting a full night of rest is an after thought. But the benefits of getting a full night of sleep are more fruitful than you may have thought. With getting a full night's rest, college students can avoid sleep deprivation and be more cognitively and physically alert and aware. This is beneficial to college students as earning your education is the number one priority, so being more cognitively alert will only help your academics. A recent study shows that getting a full night of rest can impact college students cognitive and physiological functions. With a full night of rest, you can avoid physiological impairment, such as slowed reaction time. Knowing that getting plenty of sleep each night benefits the body and how it functions, is critical for college students to understand because it allows for students to set themselves up for success.

Now, I know what you are thinking. We come to college to get our education right? Not to sleep! So a few hours of lost sleep wont hurt anyone, right? If I did not convince you of the benefits of a full night of sleep earlier, another recent study also discovered some interesting evidence as to why a full night of sleep is critical. Researchers discovered that once again, sleep deprivation impacts the cognitive and physiological function of college students. More importantly, the study found that while sleep deprived, college students lack the ability to determine whether the sleep deprivation is effecting them. The study shows us that while sleep deprived, it is difficult to notice that cognitive and physiological functions are decreasing, which only contributes to the problem. How can we fix a problem, if we can not see it is a problem while its occurring? After these recent findings on the effects of sleep deprivation on college students, you may want to reconsider your sleep habits.

One common barrier to getting a full night of rest comes down to time management. At the end of the day, when it comes to knocking out a research paper or getting eight hours of sleep, I think we both know what we would chose. This common barrier amongst college students can easily be avoided with the implementation of time management strategies. Start your day or week off by creating a list of all the things that need to be accomplished. Stay accountable and get as much work done early in your day to avoid cramming at night. Lastly, be forgiving of yourself and know that plans do not always work out the way you think they will. Remember that even when you have not checked off every item on your list for the day, the best thing you can so for yourself is to rest and enjoy your well earned sleep. Do not let yourself get down over not finishing your list, tomorrow is a new day! Small steps to achieving your sleep habit goal is the key to success, give it a try and you may be surprised by the benefits.