2008 Woodie Awards
No Time, No Sleep, Poor Health
Nikki Fiedler
Issue date: 3/21/08 Section: News
"Sleep is just as important to overall health as exercise and a healthy diet," said Carl Hunt, the director of the National Center on Sleep Disorders Research in Maryland.
Sleep - you do it; we do it; animals do it. Everyone needs it to function properly and the body needs a suffi cient amount to replenish its properties each day. According to the 2005 article in National Geographic, Americans reportedly average one hour less of sleep than they did twenty to thirty years ago.
As many college students have noticed, between going to class, doing homework, writing papers, fulfilling outside mandatory class requirements and finding time to eat and socialize with friends, there is little time left to catch the oh-so-needed zzzzz's of sleep. In this day and age, adolescents are barraged with the growing pressures and increasing standards necessary to succeed - in the classroom, in the workplace and in life.
Meredith Walsh, a psychology major and communications minor, takes eighteen credits, is involved in a sorority and also does promotional work for the radio station Mix 105.1. She estimates that she sleeps about five to six hours a night. Because she
works events, many of her afternoons and evenings during the week and mornings and evenings on the weekends are spent working.
She says her best bet in structuring her sleeping schedule is by prioritizing and making sure she gets the most critical things done first.
Even though she does not sleep much, Walsh said, "I feel guilty about taking naps because I have so many things that need to get done. I guess the only alternative would be to go out less or spend less time with friends, which is not a great option."
Nicole Hogan, another psychology major, is heavily involved in her sorority where she serves as a council member. She is also on the parking appeals committee and has a time consuming independent study. On average, her weekly sleep schedule is six hours a night but her sleeping schedules varies according to her assignments. One night she might have to pull an allnighter, while another night she might be able to get to bed by midnight.
"Taking naps helps get me through the day when I am unable to sleep much. I use weekends to catch-up on sleep as well," said Hogan. Despite her varying sleep schedule, sleep often takes priority over her work.
As stated in the aforementioned National Geographic article, experts say that the average adult needs to clock in seven to eight hours of snooze time a night in order to reduce harming one's health.
Sleep deprivation can affect mental alertness, impair the immune system and increase the risk for diabetes and high blood pressure - not to mention the crankiness.
Sleep - you do it; we do it; animals do it. Everyone needs it to function properly and the body needs a suffi cient amount to replenish its properties each day. According to the 2005 article in National Geographic, Americans reportedly average one hour less of sleep than they did twenty to thirty years ago.
As many college students have noticed, between going to class, doing homework, writing papers, fulfilling outside mandatory class requirements and finding time to eat and socialize with friends, there is little time left to catch the oh-so-needed zzzzz's of sleep. In this day and age, adolescents are barraged with the growing pressures and increasing standards necessary to succeed - in the classroom, in the workplace and in life.
Meredith Walsh, a psychology major and communications minor, takes eighteen credits, is involved in a sorority and also does promotional work for the radio station Mix 105.1. She estimates that she sleeps about five to six hours a night. Because she
works events, many of her afternoons and evenings during the week and mornings and evenings on the weekends are spent working.
She says her best bet in structuring her sleeping schedule is by prioritizing and making sure she gets the most critical things done first.
Even though she does not sleep much, Walsh said, "I feel guilty about taking naps because I have so many things that need to get done. I guess the only alternative would be to go out less or spend less time with friends, which is not a great option."
Nicole Hogan, another psychology major, is heavily involved in her sorority where she serves as a council member. She is also on the parking appeals committee and has a time consuming independent study. On average, her weekly sleep schedule is six hours a night but her sleeping schedules varies according to her assignments. One night she might have to pull an allnighter, while another night she might be able to get to bed by midnight.
"Taking naps helps get me through the day when I am unable to sleep much. I use weekends to catch-up on sleep as well," said Hogan. Despite her varying sleep schedule, sleep often takes priority over her work.
As stated in the aforementioned National Geographic article, experts say that the average adult needs to clock in seven to eight hours of snooze time a night in order to reduce harming one's health.
Sleep deprivation can affect mental alertness, impair the immune system and increase the risk for diabetes and high blood pressure - not to mention the crankiness.
Be the first to comment on this story