We hear all the time that sleep is essential to maintaining our health, but when you have chapters to read, papers to write, and friends to see, the exact reasons for that begin to get a little hazy. Because of this, it’s easy for college students to find themselves staying up late, falling asleep irregularly, and feeling drained as a result. So before you start looking into ways to get better sleep, take some time to understand the importance of quality sleep and what it provides you.
Boosts a Lowered Immune System
The dorms are a breeding ground for germs and bacteria to thrive and slowly infect residents. Whether it be communal bathrooms or the shared space in your own dorm room, there are ample ways for you to get sick and miss valuable class time. As such, one of the most important parts of living on-campus is finding ways to boost your immune system and protect yourself. Sleep allows our bodies the time to produce energy and heal from the stressors of the day before—strengthening its ability to fight off germs as an added effect.
More Energy for Physical Activity
Because getting a restful night’s sleep supplies us with more energy, it also allows us to get more involved in physical activities. Regardless of whether you’re at school on a sports scholarship or not, staying active is one of the best ways to care for your body and have fun while doing it. So if you want to be more active in your lifestyle and have the energy to participate in more extracurriculars, getting more sleep is the best solution.
Better Focus and Productivity
But the importance of quality sleep for college students is especially clear when you consider how it affects the brain. As a student, you need to be engaged in class, complete assignments on time, and ensure that you have an in-depth understanding of each class’s material. But if you’re functioning on no sleep, it can prevent signals in the brain from firing as quickly and make it difficult for you to both focus and grasp concepts. For this reason, you need at least eight hours of uninterrupted sleep each night to be awake and ready for the day.
