For college students with busy schedules, it can be difficult to get enough sleep during the school year, and many say they will struggle to get any shut-eye at all as finals approach.
However, consistently getting enough sleep is critical to normal functioning and concentration, both of which are required to do well on exams, clinical psychology doctoral candidate Jenna Gress said.
“Research has shown that struggles with sleep are related to fatigue and difficulties with attention and concentration,” she said. “I think that’s the best link to why it’s important to sleep well in college and have a regular routine.”
Gress stressed that consistency is more important than actual hours of sleep.
“Finals can be very stressful and students need to concentrate and pay attention to be most effective,” she said. “Regular sleep patterns can help with that, more than just more hours of sleep, per se. It’s more important to keep a regular schedule all semester so going into finals you’re not exhausted and stressed from changing your routine.”
Not everyone needs the same amount of sleep to function at optimal levels, however, Gress said.
“I know we tend to hear eight hours is optimal, but that’s in fact an average,” she said. “Some people need more and some people need less.”
Biology senior Juan Acosta, for example, said five hours of sleep is enough to keep him going.
“I do sleep more during the weekend, but it’s not to make up for lost sleep during the week,” Acosta said. “I just sleep until my body feels rested. Five hours is sufficient to function throughout the day.”
One problem many students said they see with Gress’ solution of consistency is their lack of a consistent routine during the semester.
Communication sophomore Amanda McCall said between school, work and friends, her schedule fluctuates throughout the week.
“I don’t have normal sleeping habits and usually only get enough sleep on weekends. I go to bed late because I’m usually having fun with friends, catching up on class reading or because I just don’t want to sleep,” she said. “I’m around people a lot during the day so I like to sit down and be alone for a while, too. Sometimes I get caught up in something and don’t realize it’s four in the morning.”
McCall said her routine doesn’t change much during finals and her sleep patterns remain inconsistent.
“I just stay up late studying instead of hanging out with people or watching movies,” McCall said. “I also drink a ton of coffee and energy drinks.”
Although many students depend heavily on caffeine to make it through finals, Gress said it is not a good solution to sleep deprivation.
“The thing most people don’t know about caffeine is it has a half-life of four hours, so it affects you for eight full hours,” she said. “If you want a good night’s sleep, definitely try to limit your intake after early afternoon hours, or at least eight hours before you plan to go to sleep.”
Some students do manage to maintain a somewhat regular schedule without caffeine, including economics and marketing sophomore Marc Jerde.
“I usually go to bed around 11:30 p.m. and watch TV, then go to sleep at 12 a.m., get up at 9 a.m., then work out at 9:30 a.m.,” he said. “I like having the structure in my life so I can know that things are being done and I’m not trying to rush.”
Jerde did say his schedule changes during the weekend with later nights, and that he typically gets less sleep during finals.
Gress said it’s not too late for students to get into a routine to prepare for finals.
“You can start now. The most important thing to remember is you can’t force your sleep,” she said. “If you want to sleep at night, start getting up earlier. Over time, even in a few days, you will notice a difference. You will be sleepier at night and be able to fall asleep. Anchoring your sleep and wake times is the key.”
Reach the reporter at keshoult@asu.edu
