The Daily OrangeWake up call
With the end of the semester drawing closer, The DO evaluates healthy ways to stay awake through projects and studying.
By Amy Orgel and Rebecca Toback
Posted: 11/11/09, 1:43 AM EST Section: Feature
Sleep deprivation is a common cause of several health issues
By Amy Orgel
Contributing writer
Remembering a full night's sleep might be a more difficult task than it seems. Memory is just one of the many things affected by sleep deprivation.
More than half of Americans neglect to get adequate sleep, and the percentage of college students is estimated to be even higher, according to a 2009 poll by the National Sleep Foundation. Average adults say they need seven hours and 24 minutes of sleep in order to function properly, yet on average people report getting only six hours and 40 minutes.
One in four adults surveyed in the NSF poll said being worried, tense, or anxious impacts their sleep. Heavy workloads and inconsistent schedules cause many students to not only miss out on a good night's sleep but to experience fatigue as well. And while staying awake to get work done will decrease the amount of stress, lack of sleep can quickly become the source of even more anxiety.
Students that are regularly deprived of sleep experience drowsiness and lack of concentration while awake. A third of students have a moderate chance of falling asleep while reading for homework, and 20 percent of adults notice a decrease in productivity, according to the poll. The NSF poll also found that those who sleep less than six hours on workdays are twice as likely to have difficulty concentrating than those who get adequate sleep.
The amount of sleep we get also affects memory and retention rates.
"REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep is essential for memory consolidation," said Dr. Tibor Palfai, a professor in the department of psychology at Syracuse University. "If you pull an all-nighter, not much will stick in your head."
Academic performance is not the only thing sleep deprivation effects.
Among those who get insufficient sleep, 30 percent are "unable to engage in leisure activities because they are too sleepy," which interferes with daily activities, the NSF poll said.
By Amy Orgel
Contributing writer
Remembering a full night's sleep might be a more difficult task than it seems. Memory is just one of the many things affected by sleep deprivation.
More than half of Americans neglect to get adequate sleep, and the percentage of college students is estimated to be even higher, according to a 2009 poll by the National Sleep Foundation. Average adults say they need seven hours and 24 minutes of sleep in order to function properly, yet on average people report getting only six hours and 40 minutes.
One in four adults surveyed in the NSF poll said being worried, tense, or anxious impacts their sleep. Heavy workloads and inconsistent schedules cause many students to not only miss out on a good night's sleep but to experience fatigue as well. And while staying awake to get work done will decrease the amount of stress, lack of sleep can quickly become the source of even more anxiety.
Students that are regularly deprived of sleep experience drowsiness and lack of concentration while awake. A third of students have a moderate chance of falling asleep while reading for homework, and 20 percent of adults notice a decrease in productivity, according to the poll. The NSF poll also found that those who sleep less than six hours on workdays are twice as likely to have difficulty concentrating than those who get adequate sleep.
The amount of sleep we get also affects memory and retention rates.
"REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep is essential for memory consolidation," said Dr. Tibor Palfai, a professor in the department of psychology at Syracuse University. "If you pull an all-nighter, not much will stick in your head."
Academic performance is not the only thing sleep deprivation effects.
Among those who get insufficient sleep, 30 percent are "unable to engage in leisure activities because they are too sleepy," which interferes with daily activities, the NSF poll said.
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