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Ariana Newcombe
April 14, 2014
ENG 1100-61
Professor Lago
Sleepy College Students

Have you ever woke up from a nights sleep and felt as tired as you did when you first
went to sleep? As a college student I know this feeling very well. Sleep is one of the first things
to slowly diminish when juggling class work, studying, and a job in college. Sleep is one of the
most important aspects of maintaining great academic performance. So why do so many college
students get so little sleep? Sleep becomes less of a priority when students are worried about
mid-terms, final papers and final exam grades. The occasional college party will also keep
student from sleep at night. As a sophomore in college I noticed that my sleep pattern has
changed drastically from when I first entered college as a freshman. With the greater work load
and pressure to strive for a high GPA I find myself up all hours of the night trying to complete
my work. Very often college students are seen pulling all-nighters with energy drinks, caffeine,
and sometimes prescription drugs just to stay awake and alert to complete their work. College
students may not realize that their lack of sleep can not only result in health risks with the use of
caffeine and energy drinks but can also alter their academic performance.
Academic performance is very important to college students; many students work hard
for their grades and even lose sleep over them. But skipping out on sleep for your grades can
actually have an adverse effect. If a student stays up all night to study for an exam, the next day
they may not perform as well as they could have because they are drowsy and couldnt
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concentrate a result of lack of sleep the night before. A recent study reports that Insufficient
sleep time, with associated sleepiness, fatigue, and inattentiveness, has been identified as a major
cause of poor academic performance among high school and college-aged students( Eliasson,
Lettieri 71). Allowing only a few hours of sleep at night makes it harder to focus in class the next
day because of fatigue from the lack of sleep the night before. As a result a students academic
performance may decrease causing their grades and ultimately their GPA to drop.
Only getting a few hours of sleep can result in health risks in college students. Today, it
is very easy to find ways to cope with excessive fatigue. Harris writes there also exists a long
standing belief among college students that all-nighters and mega caffeine consumption before
tests gives them an edge when compared with students that slept eight hours(3). The use of
energy drinks like Monster and the convenient campus caf for coffee are all used by students
thinking it will help them to stay awake and alert. In reality drinking caffeine and large
consumptions of energy drinks are a great risk to ones health. Caffeine and energy drinks have
been known to cause heart conditions, diabetes, and increase blood pressure. College students
today are even turning to the use of prescription drugs for academic use. The prescription drug
Adderall mainly prescribed to patients with ADHD is becoming increasing popular on college
campuses. Non prescribed students are taking Adderall just to a feel energized and focused to
concentrate on their work. A survey given to college students shows that Of the students who
reported using illicit stimulants, 72% reported doing so to stay awake to study longer(DeSantis
et al 317).. Students are turning to alternatives to sleep like caffeine and Adderall to cope with
their lack of sleep. Drugs like Adderall can cause serious health problems in someone that was
not prescribed the drug. Adderall can cause increased blood pressure, fainting, weight loss,
hallucinations, and countless other side effects.
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Many students toady work and go to school to be able to afford their tuition like myself.
Tuition is very expensive especially for a student who dorms on campus. According to a survey
given to college students, More students work to pay for college than for pocket money(Shah
et al.1). Finding time for sleep can become difficult when you have class, homework and job. In
my opinion it is extremely hard to go to school and work, without losing sleep. It is not rare for a
full time student, like myself, to also work a full or part time job. In fact it is becoming
increasingly popular in the college community today. I usually get about 5 hours a sleep on
average after I get off of work. Sometimes if I have homework or an exam the next day I get
about 3 hours of sleep. I feel that the lack of sleep comes with going to college. When going to
college it is expected for a student to be prepared for the increased work load and the
responsibility juggling school and a job.
Students are also replacing sleep with extracurricular activities like the occasional college
party. It is almost certain that almost all college students will attend at least one college party
throughout their college career. Many students attend a party almost every weekend. Many times
these parties have alcohol and dont end until the early hours of morning. Many college students
believe that their bodies are impervious and can withstand anything including excessive amounts
of alcohol. Students figure that having fun is more important than their sleep and overall health.
Many students that attend college parties tend to binge drink sometimes without even realizing.
Binge drinking can be very dangerous and can affect and young men and woman and their ability
to fall asleep at night. A recent study found that Overall, the estimates reveal that alcohol
consumption is positively associated with trouble falling and staying asleep for both
genders(Popovici et al 211). Binge drinking can disrupt the normal sleep cycle as well as
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anything else for college students. Binge drinking can result in wakefulness during the night a
restless sleep.
The lack of sleep is a huge growing issue among college students. A good nights rest is
usually hard to get as a student. College students are in a time of transition; our lives are full of
new social, emotional, and educational experiences. Most dont understand the deep impact that
sleep deprivation can have on the human body emotionally, physically, and mentally. Turning to
over consumption of caffeine and drugs to focus in school is unhealthy and dangerous. Our
bodies need sleep to properly function just as they need food and water. If a student is suffering
from sleep deprivation there are a few sleep hygiene measures he or she can take. At least thirty
minutes of exercise daily before bedtime could help your sleep schedule to stay consistent. Also
avoiding long naps in the middle of the day can improve your sleep quality at night. Counseling
centers such as the health and wellness center, should educate incoming students new to college
on the importance of maintaining a good sleep hygiene. They should stress that poor sleep can
negatively affect a students academic performance. Students should not feel that drugs and
energy drinks are the only answer to staying awake and focusing. Students should also prioritize
their time between school, work and college parties. Dont let college get the best of you.
College parties will always be there, so there is no need to attend all of them. My advice is to
always plan and schedule your week including time for studying, extra-curricular activities, and
of course sleep. When your week is planned it is easier to control your sleep schedule and
manage your time.



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Works Cited
Gilbert, Steven P., and Cameron C. Weaver. "Sleep Quality And Academic Performance In University
Students: A Wake-Up Call For College Psychologists." Journal Of College Student
Psychotherapy 24.4 (2010): 295-306. Academic Search Complete. Web. 9 Apr.
-Sleep deprivation and poor sleep quality are both very prominent in young adults and college student
populations. The amount of sleep you get effects your performance not only academically but
overall. Counseling centers like the health and wellness center should provide education about
the importance of good quality sleep for better academic performance. The purpose of this study
was to find the relationship between poor academic performance and sleep deprivation/poor
sleep quality.
Eliasson, Arne H., Christopher J. Lettieri, and Arn H. Eliasson. "Early to Bed, Early to Rise! Sleep
Habits and Academic Performance in College Students." Sleep and Breathing 14.1 (2010): 71-5.
ProQuest. Web. 9 Apr. 2014.
-Compared to those with the lowest academic performance, students with the highest performance had
significantly earlier bedtimes. This could mean that the earlier you go to bed the better you are at
concentrating on your work and getting better grades. The lack of enough sleep, associated with
sleepiness and fatigue has been identified as a major cause of poor academic performance among
high school and college-aged students.
Harris, Kathalene M. "Caffeine Consumption as a Predictor of Sleep Quality, Sleep Hygiene, Subjective
Sleepiness, and Academic Performance among North Texas Female College Students." Order
No. 3384563 Texas Woman's University, 2009. Ann Arbor: ProQuest. Web. 21 Apr. 2014.
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- Today many high school and college students are not aware of how the effects of sleep
deprivation have negative effects on their cognitive function. There is an increased risk of
unintentional injuries caused by lack of sleep. Low grades, low performance in school, finding it
difficult to control emotions, increased risk of depression and use of stimulants are all possible
consequences of poor sleep in young adults.
DeSantis, AD, EM Webb, and SM Noar. "Illicit Use Of Prescription ADHD Medications On A College
Campus: A Multimethodological Approach." Journal Of American College Health 57.3 (2008):
315-323. CINAHL with Full Text. Web. 23 Apr. 2014.
- Drugs are always a concern on college campuses but recently students are taking drugs to focus
more on their school work. Adderall is usually prescribed to people who have ADHD. The drug
helps them to focus and increases their energy. Many students find that taking this drug helps
them to also focus and get work done faster although they do not have ADHD. Over half the
students in this study admitted to taking Adderall for academic use. They admitted that it helped
them to stay awake and concentrate on their work.
Shah, Allie, and Staff Writer. "Work, Study, Work, Sleep, Work ... ; Faced with Skyrocketing Tuition
and no Financial Help from Parents, some College Students are Stuck in a Round-the-Clock
Cycle of Classes and Jobs." Star Tribune: 0. Mar 16 2006. ProQuest. Web. 5 May 2014 .
- This article talks about the increasing need for student to have a job while going to school
because the rising cost of tuition. It is becoming very hard for working parents to keep up with
the cost of tuition to send their child to college. This is why many students decided to get a job to
help with tuition. Students who attend school full time and work a part-time or fulltime job often
lose hours of sleep.
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Popovici, Ioana, and Michael T. French. "Binge Drinking And Sleep Problems Among Young Adults."
Drug & Alcohol Dependence 132.1/2 (2013): 207-215. Academic Search Complete. Web. 6 May
2014.
-binge drinking is a huge problem among young people today. Many times binge drinking can occur at
parties when young adults are all together. This study was conducted to find the relationship
between sleep and binge drinking among young adults. This study found that it for both young
men and woman binge drinking cause them to lose sleep.