Gannon Knight Features

     Regardless of whether students refer to themselves as a “morning” people or “night” people, they all need sleep.
     According to the National Sleep Foundation, every person’s sleep needs are different, but adults need, on average, seven to nine hours of sleep per night. Catherine Gillespie, associate professor in Gannon University’s physician assistant program, said college students in particular need to focus on their “sleep hygiene” – a term that refers to sleep practices, habits and environmental factors that are necessary for getting a good night’s rest.
     “Many students will neglect sleep for work, sports or papers thinking they can function, but they cannot,” she said.
     Freshman nursing major Devon Hoover said she makes time for a good night’s sleep, although her schedule is crammed with classes.
     “If I get less than six hours a night, it throws off my hormones and makes me crabby,” she said. “When I am tired and doing schoolwork, I get distracted wishing I could take a nap.”
     Gillespie added that although some students think staying up until 2 or 3 a.m. studying is a good idea, disrupting one’s sleep schedule to complete schoolwork can result in mistakes such as lack of memorization or misspellings.
     “Other teachers and I know when a student is up until 2 in the morning because they will send us an e-mail or call to leave a message and the technology calculates the time when it was sent,” she said. “When I see this happening, I reply back to the student reminding them they probably should be sleeping at that time of night.”
     Students especially struggle with sleep patterns during high-pressure test weeks, like midterms and finals, Gillespie said. During these high-stress periods, she recommended that students maintain a healthy diet, sleep appropriately and exercise.
     “If students do not follow this, fatigue and sickness with the immune system can occur,” she said.
     Freshman pre-pharmacy major Cassie Groner said she tries to get between six and eight hours of sleep per night – but when she doesn’t, she typically feels fine the next day.
     “It’s a day or two after that when it hits me and I can’t concentrate,” she said. “I do not like to nap because I cannot sleep at night.”
     Naps, Gillespie said, can be tricky – sometimes they’re energizing, while other times they are a sign of a poor sleep cycle.
     A 15- to 20-minute nap will help a person get through the day, but sleeping a few hours at once will interfere with nightly sleeping.
     Junior communication arts major Joe Kreydt said he rarely naps and tries to maintain a regular sleep schedule of six hours per night.
     “When I do take a nap, it’s short and I feel energized afterwards,” he said. “I think I can feel when I am lacking sleep, but it could just be my imagination.”
     Gillespie said students’ favorite pick-me-ups – energy drinks and coffee – should be avoided right before bed because caffeine is a stimulant. The tingle Red Bull drinkers feel isn’t real energy – it’s a sign that their bodies lack oxygen, she said.
     She also recommended that students refrain from using alcohol as a clutch to fall asleep.
     “They are going to start relying on the alcohol to help them sleep and can it can turn into a serious problem,” she said.
     The best bet for a good night’s sleep is to establishing a relaxing, healthy bedtime routine involving reading, taking a warm shower or listening to soothing music.
     Now that’s the way to catch some righteous z’s.