Health Matters 

Late Nights and Early Mornings 

By Jordan Dent  

Every student experiences late nights and early mornings in his or her college career.  It’s not the kind of “Late Nights and Early Mornings” Marsha Ambrosius sings about, but the “I waited until the last minute to start doing my homework, sleeping for three or four hours and then getting up at 8 o’clock in the morning for class” late nights and early mornings.  However, college students don’t realize how the lack of sufficient amounts of sleep can affect them. 

On average, college students need seven to nine hours of sleep a night.  With the amount of homework students receive in their classes, it makes it difficult to get the seven to nine hours of sleep required.  Without a sufficient amount of sleep, you can lose focus in classes, making it impossible to complete the work because your brain does not get enough time to rest and regroup.  Ultimately, this could have a negative effect on your college careers. 

Not getting enough hours of sleep can be physically draining as well.  With little sleep, the body can’t function at its best.  Little sleep can also cause the body to get weak, making it vulnerable to illnesses such as a cold, the flu or even pneumonia.  Again, getting those hours of sleep helps your body fight off these illnesses because sleep helps rejuvenate your body and brain from the work out you give it day in and day out.  If you look at the bigger picture, you’re awake for more hours than you’re asleep.  Why wouldn’t your body need that much rest? 

So how could you put an end to the late nights and early mornings?  Prioritize your time during the week and save your social life for the weekend.  It may not sound like the best or fun idea, but you will reap the benefits later.  When you’re given an assignment, start on it immediately.  This leaves open opportunity to make any unexpected changes that may arise.  Set a bed time to follow every night.  It sounds childish, but it can help you get enough sleep to help restore your body to its full capability.   

It can’t be emphasized enough how important sleep is during your college career.  Getting those seven to nine hours of sleep sets the pathway for you to becoming a great scholar and accomplishing the ultimate goal - GRADUATION.  Try your best to prioritize, get a head start and most importantly, go to bed at a decent hour.  Good luck and sweet dreams.