How Well Do You Sleep?

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For Monday’s table talk, we discussed the reality of how much sleep college students really get, and what they should be getting. Sleep deprivation in the long run can lead to increased risk of obesity, cancer, and decreased immunity.

Personally, I strive to get a good 5-6 hours of sleep a night, so I was shocked to hear that the recommended sleep amount for college students was around 9 hours. I feel like this is something that is impossible, especially at Cornell. If I were to strive for 9 hours, I would have to cut something else from my daily routine, like going to the gym or taking that extra hour to review the work I’m currently doing in class.

I always believed that what determines how well you wake up/function was your REM cycle. After discovering when exactly I should be going to bed (to wake up at a certain time) allowed me to wake up more easily because I wasn’t interfering with my REM cycle. But who knows! Maybe it’s just placebo.

So next time you’re getting ready for bed, remember how your schedule works for you!

 

2 thoughts on “How Well Do You Sleep?”

  1. I definitely agree that, with our busy schedules, it becomes nearly impossible to fit the recommended hours of sleep in without cutting out something else. School work is definitely a huge barrier to getting that sleep in, but I also like how you point out that sometimes our schedules are so hectic that getting the right amount of sleep could even conflict with other activities, like going to the gym, that promote health and wellness. That point really shows how challenging or conflicting the decision about whether to get that needed hour or do something else that seems necessary or even beneficial can really be.

  2. I agree! I think sleep is obviously and important thing but it often gets ignored when we have homework and prelims and projects building up. I think asking a cornell student to spend 9 hours a night sleeping would require sacrifice in other areas. I also try to get 5-6 hours of sleep a night because I think those extra 3-4 hours are precious study time or time that we can use to do other things.