Sleep Deprivation in College Students
Sleep deprivation in college students is common, and can affect academic performance negatively. 70.6% of students sleep less than the recommended 8 hours per week, and only 11% report sleeping well consistently.
Major causes of sleep deprivation include coursework and financial stress, social media and technology, and stimulants, such as energy drinks and alcohol.
Poor sleep quality has been found to severely impact grades and is nowadays the third most common impediment to academic performance after stress and illness. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine reports that students who sleep less than 6 hours a night perform as poorly as someone who has been sleep deprived for 48 hours, as their
memory and concentration are significantly impaired.
The impact of poor sleep on grade point average, specifically, has been compared to that of binge drinking and marijuana use. In analogous studies, those sleeping less than 8 hours scored worse than their non-deprived counterparts, with performance in tasks such as assessing inference, recognition of assumptions, and deduction being significantly lower. Similarly, staying up late during the week and making up for lost sleep during the weekend leads to poor performance.
Research shows that better sleep hygiene along with the implementation of power nap facilities on campus can increase academic performance and mental wellbeing. Daytime naps are also an effective measure against stress and sleep deprivation in college students.
Several American Universities have implemented nap pods on campus with positive feedback from students. Read more about how rest solutions on campus can help by downloading our white paper.