It almost seems like part of the college experience is to be a sleep-deprived student drinking 4 cups of coffee, struggling to stay awake in class. Despite all the research and studies showing the adverse effects of sleep deprivation, most people find it infeasible to get the recommended 9 hours of sleep daily. In fact, on the rare occasion I am able to get 9 hours of sleep, I honestly wake up feeling guilty for not using that time for extra studying. It has been ingrained into us that we should sacrifice sleep for academic or career achievement. When you consider that lack of sleep is correlated to increased risk for obesity, heart problems, stroke, and cancer, it is ridiculous that we neglect our health so easily.

After getting minimal sleep my first two years in college, I have now made a conscious effort to get at least 7 hours of sleep daily. Getting enough sleep feels like a privilege but it really should be a priority. As long as my assignments due for the next day are finished, I stop doing work at midnight. I then spend about an hour winding down by making plans for the next day, reading, and listening to music. Of course, this isn’t always possible but I do feel more energetic and productive during the day after a good night’s sleep.