The detrimental side effects of college sleep patterns and how Wooster students compare
Anya Cohen
Features Editor
It’s a well known fact that college students don’t get the sleep that they need. What are not as well known are the negative effects that sleep deprivation can have on a college student’s daily life and task performance.
Ever feel irritable, forgetful or especially accident- prone? This could very well be caused by too little sleep. It is recommended that a college student get at least nine hours of sleep per night. When a body isn’t sufficiently rested, there can be many negative effects. As far as short terms effect are concerned, when sleep deprived, a person may be short tempered, unable to make decisions or problem solve, experience slower reaction times and suffer from depression, memory loss, and weaker immune system. When a body is sleep deprived, its ability to fight illnesses takes a hit and, therefore, it is much more likely to get sick.
All-nighters may seem like a good idea for cramming in some extra last minute studying, but they actually tend to produce negative effects on student GPAs. According a study done at St. Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y., a frequent use of all-nighters showed a slightly lower than average GPA.
Athletic performance is also negatively affected by a lack of sleep. According to a study done by Stanford University, athletes who got a fuller night sleep performed better out on the court. This study tracked the speed and shot percentage of six basketball players, and found that when running off of 10 hours of sleep, they ran faster and had a higher shooting percentage.
Sleep deprivation can lead to even more dangerous long-term effects including a higher risk of diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and depression.
Information for this article was taken from USA Today.