Buser: Sleep well, avoid stress

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By Richelle Buser

Monday, October 5, 2009

I can’t even begin to count how many times it’s happened to me. It’s a busy week but I manage to complete my assignments and study for my tests. Confidently, I fall into bed ready for some much needed rest. But after an hour or two hours — sometimes more — I’m still up, paranoid about what’s left to do or nervous wondering if I’ve prepared enough.

Recent research suggests I’m definitely not alone.

A study at Medical News Today reports that 68 percent of college students reported stress related sleep deprivation. At least 20 percent admitted to feeling this anxiety at least once per week. Numbers also say 30 percent of college students get fewer than eight hours of sleep per night. We’ve always been told eight hours is the bare minimum requirement for a good night’s rest, but I can’t honestly say I know many of my peers who adhere to this rule.

The study, from The Journal of Adolescent Health online, analyzed more than 1,125 students to find these results. A major concern about lack of sleep is the effects it can have on a person’s immune system. With the H1N1 virus still spreading, students need to do whatever possible to stay healthy.

People who sleep poorly are much more likely to take medicine to stay awake or fall asleep and twice as likely to drink alcohol in order to pass out than those who sleep well. These habits can lead to lifelong addictions and aren’t the solutions to the problem of not catching enough sleep.

We all know sleep is important, but what are we supposed to do when we’re lying in bed counting sheep and sleep never seems to come? Students stress about lots of things besides school, including money and our personal lives, and it’s not always easy to handle.

The University’s Counseling and Psychological Services has a few tips for handling college stress. Getting organized and breaking down overwhelming tasks is a good place to start. Setting realistic expectations, focusing on goals and accepting mistakes that may have been made, then moving on, are also recommended.

The most beneficial advice I found from Counseling and Psychological Services is to take charge of where you’re going. You can do this by taking responsibility for pointing your life where you want to go and taking action to avoid feeling powerless.

We’re all adults now, and life is always going to be stressful. But there are ways to mellow out and keep everything on track. If you can relax, you’ll be better rested after a good night’s sleep and more productive overall in your work. Even if you think you can handle an all-nighter, consider reports from ABC News that suggest poor sleep leads to a much higher rate of depression. To stay happy, you need to hit the hay.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, take time to re-evaluate. If it’s really getting out of control, talk to someone. The University has plenty of people who can help. Just make sure you don’t sacrifice your health, mentally or physically, by not making sleep a priority.

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