What if we lived in a world where you were expected to put sleep before your GPA? What if college students were required to turn in for eight hours before turning in homework? Such a world is so far from a college student's reality, that it's hard to picture what this would look like.
According to years of research on the effects of sleep deprivation, the world for students would change as follows:
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You would look better.
Sleep deprivation is directly linked to an increase in weight gain. Your risk for obesity jumps 30% after just weeks of losing sleep. It’s not just the dorm food that causes the Freshman 15 anymore... Research shows that your metabolism slows down considerably after bad sleeping habits begin to form. You would do yourself a big favor by sleeping just a little more.
Not sleeping well will also break down your body’s storage of collagen- the protein in your skin that promotes elasticity. You can actually prematurely age your face by pulling all-nighters. Saving homework for later and choosing sleep for now helps you avoid looking like your mother (or father) before you graduate from college.
You would feel better.
To add to the list of things your body can’t when you’re not sleeping well- your body is unable to fight off sicknesses when you’re tired. Sleep deprivation can seriously weaken your immune system. As you go through the semester, skipping out on bedtime for biology homework makes your body becomes less and less able to fight off colds and flus. If we were to put sleeping in front of studying, we could avoid monthly trips to the campus clinic. You could spend more time being healthy, and appreciating a life without a constant sore throat or stuffy nose.
You would focus better.
This is where it makes sense to prioritize a good night’s rest over all other obligations- academic or not. Without sleep, your ability to think clearly, pay attention, and use logic all fly out the window. Retaining information will become harder than it is already. Studying becomes a nearly impossible task without copious amounts of caffeine involved. A good night’s rest would sharpen your mind and ensure that you are ready to take on a full day of classes.
You would be better.
Mental wellness and college. Two things that seem like they are constantly contradicting one another. 1 in 4 students will experience some form of anxiety and/or depression in their college career- a number that is scary high but doesn't have to be. Sleep deprivation increases your risk for anxiety and depression symptoms by 45%. This means that the inverse is true: sleeping well decreases your chances of developing anxiety and depression by 45%. Those are some odds that any stressed out college kid would take over facing the tough reality of living with depression and/or anxiety while in school.
But of course college life is busy. It doesn't matter who you are or what your major is, professors expect things from you. Friends and family expect things from you. Bosses and coworkers expect things from you. One person who puts their sleep schedule before all other obligations will probably not spark The Great Sleep Revolution. Try squeezing in extra hours here and there, knowing what you know do about the effects of sleep deprivation. As far as what the world would be like if everyone chose a good night's sleep over a 10 hour binge-session at the library, the questions remains a big "What If?"
