Is Sleep Deprivation a Prerequisite for Success?

[Maria]

From Maria Pascucci, Founder & President, Campus Calm:

In a 2009 mtvU and Associated Press college stress poll, 55 percent of college students reported experiencing sleep troubles at least several days in the two week period in which they were polled, and 69 percent reported feeling tired or having little energy. Prescriptions for sleeping medications topped 56 million in 2008, up 54% from 2004. Prescription sleep aides nearly tripled among college-age users from 2006 to 2008. Recent studies show that sleep deprived college students not only do their bodies a disservice, they tend to maintain lower GPA’s as well. Another 2009 study found that stress over academics is the biggest thing that keeps students awake at night, not texting, AIMing and computer gaming.

As someone who has suffered stress and anxiety-induced insomnia, I can tell you for a fact that there is absolutely nothing self-loving about not giving our bodies the rest they need. You do not need to sacrifice your health to be successful in college. You have the opportunity, today, to make a commitment to yourself to assess your priorities and make a commitment to be self-loving and that starts with getting enough sleep.

If you're so overscheduled in school that you don't have time to get at least seven hours of sleep every night, consider that a wakeup call that you need to cut back.

Some suggestions:

• Join clubs that sound interesting to you but don’t succumb to the pressure to do everything. Hint: If you joined four extracurricular activities this semester, but you really enjoy three of them and the fourth you're doing for the résumé builder, consider bowing out. Take leadership roles in a couple of activities instead of stressing yourself out in multiple roles.

• pick a college major you enjoy but realize that you don’t need a double or triple major with minors too in order to be successful.

• Get help when you need it before your help suffers. If you're struggling, be brave; visit your campus counseling center and talk with a trained professional.

Questions:

• How many of you are sleep deprived when school's in session?

• Have we normalized sleep deprivation as just part of the high school and college experience? Does it really have to be that way?

Please post your thoughts and questions.

[alex]

For me, sleep is an undervalued activity. Everyone needs sleep to think effectively. I've only pulled a couple of all-nighters during High School, but the days following were torture.

[Alicia]

I never get enough sleep, and I find that I do much worse without it. When I do get a full night of sleep, I'm much more alert in my classes and able to focus, but on my usual three or four hours I end up napping in half my classes. Although I'm aware of this, I find that I simply can't sleep because I constantly put off my work and need to get it done at some point.

[Maria]

Alicia, thanks for sharing! Time management is a huge challenge for students. The next time you're up all night because you procrastinated, consider the following advice:

When you’re stressed out because you procrastinated, don’t waste a lot of time beating yourself up about it. That's not a very self-loving thing to do. Instead, take your mistake and see it as an opportunity to listen to your body and tune yourself in to how it’s feeling. You probably feel like crap, huh? You're cranky, you're tired, maybe your stomach is in knots. How’s your skin? Is it pasty, dull, broken out? It’s no accident—trust me on this. When you’re stressing and sleep deprived and making poor eating decisions, your body will respond. After you turn in your paper or homework assignment, make an intention to try not to put your body and mind into this predicament next time. Don’t ignore your body. Instead, listen to its message.

Your body is saying (screaming, actually), “SLOW DOWN. Stop procrastinating. Make wiser, healthier choices next time so you’re not chained to your desk stressed beyond belief. Stop fighting my efforts to keep you healthy and start working with me. No, I’m not Mom—I’m simply your greatest friend in the world; we’re in this together to the end so why would you want to abuse me?” Your body sure likes to chat when you actually take a second to listen to it, doesn’t it? S

If you need some extra help, check out the following link: http://www.campuscalm.com/time_management.html or chapter nine in Campus Calm University: http://www.campuscalmbook.com

Keep in touch through this forum, we're here to support you!

Maria

[lilly]

For me enough sleep is one of the most important things to be successful. Of course, I have tried it some nights when I thought that I am not prepared well enough but I fell asleep very soon because I just could not keep my eyes open ... it was like pain and I said to me: "Lilly it is definately your fault that you are not prepared and you have to take the consequences. Staying up the whole night is very unhealthy! Maybe you have a resit now but you knew that." What I want to say is that I do not want to punish my organism for being unorganised and undisciplined ... And i feel much better with seven hours of sleep.

[Maria]

Thank you for posting Lilly! Well said, sleep IS one of the most important success "secrets" in your toolbox. You're right, if you procrastinate and feel ill-prepared before a test or exam at school, learn from the experience, but don't punish yourself by sacrificing sleep. Always remember that good health is our most worthy achievement, the foundation for which we build our success, both inside and outside of the classroom.