You probably need more rest — here’s your body on 8 hours of sleep
College doesn’t lend itself to optimized sleep habits. There are late nights out with friends, late nights in with roomies. There are the late-night midterm cram sessions that become early morning cram sessions, aka the all-nighter — a collegiate rite of passage. The demands of college life often leave little room for sleep health.
But there are plenty of reasons to prioritize your sleep in college, according to Eric Yeh,M.D., a sleep physician at University Hospitals in Cleveland.
“Seven to nine hours is the official recommendation from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine for people over 18,” says Yeh. “That’s what we aim for — that is the amount 95% of the population needs.”
Okay, so the sleep overlords say seven to nine hours. But how much of a difference does getting enough sleep really make? A lot.
Your memory improves
An all-nighter might seem like the only solution when you’re 12 hours out from an exam you… forgot to study for. But research shows you’re more likely hurting your chances at a good grade, as sleep deprivation hurts your ability to actually absorb and understand information.
“Having REM sleep, which makes up about 15% to 25% of your sleep time, is really important,” says Yeh. “It’s during that time that you are processing all your short-term memories and storing them into long-term ones,” he says. “Sleep is crucial [for that].”
Realistically, Yeh understands that college is a hard time to instill good sleep habits (he readily admits to pulling lots of all-nighters in college and med school). But that all can be avoided with this one piece of advice: Just stop procrastinating.
“Our brain works a lot better when we get little chunks of information instead of a whole big chunk,” he says. “Start planning to study ahead of time, and try not to let the weekend throw you off schedule.”
Your energy levels will soar
It might seem obvious that more sleep means more energy, but as it pertains to academics, Yeh says improved energy can do more than simply keep you awake in lectures.
“Having a better energy level often translates into having more motivation, which is crucial for completing your coursework or doing physical activity,” he says. “Your daily routine and sleep are so closely linked together.”
Yeh recommends challenging yourself to keep a journal to log how you feel on a day when you got, say, four hours of sleep and then again on a day when you’ve gotten the recommended amount and compare the two. “Once you see the difference for yourself, you’ll become a lot more motivated to do what’s right for your body.”
You’re setting yourself up for a healthier future
“There have been various studies out there, most of which concur with the conclusion that adequate sleep prolongs life expectancy,” says Yeh, adding that other studies link lack of sleep to an increased risk for stroke, high blood pressure and early dementia. Lack of sleep has also been linked to increased depression and anxiety.
If those consequences sound scary, here are some tips for righting your sleep wrongs.
Lower the bar to entry. If changing your bedtime isn’t possible right now, shift the emphasis from bedtime to wake time.
“Let’s say you want to anchor your wake time at 7:30 a.m.,” says Yeh. “Try to get up at that time for a good amount of time every single day. Don’t linger. Instead of giving yourself a specific bedtime, set an alarm and get up.”
That, he says, will set you up for a successful bedtime routine, too. Despite our best efforts, often we just don’t feel tired enough to go to bed when we know we should. By waking up at the same time every morning, you’re more likely to feel when it’s time to crash at night.
And, of course, there’s the whole screen-time thing. We know you know this one. But we’re going to say it again. Screens are the enemy of sleep.
“If you’re waking up consistently at 7:30 a.m. and not feeling sleepy by 11 p.m., more likely than not, it’s because you’re on the computer, tablet, phone or television,” he says. “Shut everything off 60 to 90 minutes before your desired bedtime and pick up a book about the history of Missouri or something. It should put you right to bed.”
Lastly, if you find yourself waking up in the middle of the night, don’t reach for your phone. “If you’re tossing and turning for more than 30 minutes, get out of bed,” he says. “There’s a saying we use with a lot of patients — ‘Don’t chase sleep. Let it come to you.’ Pick up that book and wait until it comes.”
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