CURTIS BOVEE
STAFF WRITER

Sleep is a topic overlooked and is often compromised to complete unfinished tasks and engage in unnecessary activities.

A survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that one-third of adults in the United States report getting inadequate amounts of sleep.

The college population is even more effected by sleep deprivation, as portrayed in a study at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota.

The study, which can be found online in the “Journal of Adolescent Health”, reported that 70 percent of college students fail to get eight hours of sleep per night.

Eight hours of sleep per night is recommended for adults and college students, as reported by the CDC. This recommendation increases when your brain is utilized more often; however, this suggestion rarely becomes reality.

During finals week, sleep becomes more important; however, sleep deprivation is more common during this period. Of the 1,125 students in the study, 20 percent pulled all-nighters at least once a week to keep up with academic tasks.

Sleep deprivation presents an abundance of problems. According to the National Sleep Foundation, short sleep duration is linked with:

•Increased risk of motor vehicle accidents.

•Increase in body mass index—a greater likelihood of obesity due to increased appetite caused by sleep deprivation.

•Increased risk of diabetes and heart disease.

•Increased risk of psychiatric conditions including depression and substance abuse.

•Decreased ability to pay attention, react to signals or remember new information.

Furthermore, sleep deficiencies will interfere with work and school, likely decreasing academic performance, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

For healthy brain function, sleep is essential. Your brain utilizes sleep to function correctly and prepare for the following day. New pathways are being created to help you remember information and become more efficient when retrieving that information, per the NIH.

The correlation between sleep and academic performance is obvious. Decreasing procrastination and all-nighters will likely causes a positive spike in your grades, along with boosts in energy and mood.