How much sleep do you actually get a night? I'm not sure if college students know the definition of peace and quiet. Most of the dorms are still loud and bustling in the early morning hours. What does this mean though?
Before reading about it online, i thought that not sleeping enough would mean getting bags under your eyes, being cranky and irritable, and not having as much energy as usual. However, there are far more detrimental consequences than the aforementioned.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/08/AR2005100801405.html
The article explains how not sleeping enough disrupts your bodies hormones, energy levels, metabolism leading to weight gain and other diseases like cancer.
Of course, amount of sleep varies for everyone. Some people can sleep 4 hours and function normally, others need 10. I learned in my psych class that as you get older, the mean number of hours you need to sleep lessens. Most senior citizens sleep a little under 6 hours.
In the march issue of Runner's World, I learned that if you sleep for 6 hours you have 1/2 the number of illness fighting white bloodcells than if you sleep for 8.
The last tidbit I'll leave you with pertains to many of this in our class... Athletes! RW also advises that if your working out for 30-60 minutes you produce more white blood cells, but warned that if you strenuously working out for more than 90 minutes beware that your immune system will need a day to re-cooperate.
Make sure you dont knock yourself out with the double whammy of not getting enough sleep and working out like a maniac.
Goodnight!
<3 Anne
I have learned to appreciate sleep more and more in college. I run myself ragged with work, schoolwork, cheerleading, dance, intramurals, and I have had to make the executive decision to sleep instead of having a social night life. It is so important for your body to function, and I make sure I get atleast 7 hours a night because there is no room for a mid day nap for me!
ReplyDeleteI can relate to your post. I am currently in basektball season and doing my senior internship and somedays I feel more tired than others if I do not get enough sleep. At the end of the week it seems to all catch up with you when you have alot going on and times it can hard and your body definately feels it. Sometimes you just cant get enough sleep even if you try to when you are busy. Your post is a good reminder to not forget that your body does need rest.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, I know since I've been at school I'm really lucky to have roomates who have sleeping habits like mine, we like to go to bed between 11 and 12 at night, which for college students is early, and we get at least 8 hours of sleep, or close to, each night. I think thats why we haven't really gotten sick like all the other kids in my dorm. Knock on wood.
ReplyDeleteAs a person who exercises about 60-90 min a day a love my sleep. Personally I need about 8 hours of sleep to function and when I don’t get this sleep I find myself more sluggish and in most cases more prone to sickness. I am very lucky to have a roommate who enjoys her sleep too and has similar sleeping patters so we are able to get to bed a reasonable time.
ReplyDeleteIt's very interesting I enjoy my nap everyday that I can. I'm started do some work out and I feel tired many times. I know now I have to sleep more than before.
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