#SleepRevolution Takes College Campuses Back To Bed

By Julia Dunn on April 10, 2016

For virtually every college student, sleep is somewhat of an afterthought; it’s often prioritized only after academics and social lives take precedence in our schedules. College students have neglected to let themselves sleep, which is why Arianna Huffington (of the Huffington Post) has rolled out a national campaign/event series based off her book, The Sleep Revolution: Transforming Your Life, One Night at a Time.

Huffington views sleep as a fundamental human right, much like the freedom of expression. She wrote the book after realizing that most of us are “in the midst of a sleep-deprivation crisis that creates anxiety, as well as exhaustion, depression, a higher risk of motor vehicle accidents — and overall sleep-deprived stupidity,” as reported by NPR.

Why aren’t we getting enough sleep?

Copious amounts of pressure plague college students daily, as we tend to juggle much more than we can healthily handle (extra units, multiple jobs, internships and high involvement in various organizations). What we should remember is that sleep actually enhances productivity when we are awake, so sleeping nine hours and working for 15 will allow you to accomplish much more than sleeping for six hours and working for 18.

Image Via Flickr

It has also become trendy not to sleep. Phrases like “you can sleep when you’re dead” are tossed around humorously; however, these phrases that take the form of a joke actually mask a more serious problem. We aren’t remembering the vital significance of sleep, and college students especially tend to believe coffee is an acceptable substitute for sleep (it’s not!)

It also may be that students find it a competition to see who can accomplish the most on as little sleep as possible. One might brag about having gotten four hours of sleep one night while their friend announces they only got three. Students should consider whether this is actually something to be proud of: are bragging rights really worth the trouble at the expense of sufficient sleep?

What are the consequences of not sleeping enough?

Most generally, minimal sleep can mean severely compromised ability to focus. On a more serious note, it can mean a higher likelihood of getting into a car accident when you’re driving while fatigued; driving while tired is approximately equal to drunk driving, as 100,000 auto crashes and 1,550 crash-related deaths a year are caused by fatigue according to The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Most of these are caused by those under 25 years of age, the prime age of a college student.

According to WebMD, you may suffer a higher risk of health problems like heart disease, diabetes, strokes and other illnesses, as many individuals who suffer from insomnia also have an additional health issue. College students who skimp on sleep weaken their immune system’s defenses, thus making them more vulnerable to catching a cold or flu.

What are the benefits of sleeping enough?

Getting enough sleep means feeling happier, being more productive in shorter amounts of time, maintaining stronger relationships with others, and being less likely to burn out during stressful times of life. We function better in our jobs and learn more from classes. Getting enough sleep improves literally every aspect of our lives, making us more optimistic and content overall.

Image Via Pixabay

Which universities are participating in the #SleepRevolution event series?

HuffPost will be bringing sleep fairs featuring “spaces where students can relax and recharge with free copies of The Sleep Revolution, healthy snacks, pajamas, meditation and mind-blowing sleep gadgets from leading tech entrepreneurs” to the following schools across the United States:

  • University of Denver – April 8

  • Georgetown University – April 8

  • Dominican University – April 9

  • Stanford University – April 11

  • UC Berkeley – April 11

  • University of Southern California – April 13

  • Duke University – April 18

  • University of Nevada, Las Vegas – April 20

  • UCLA – April 20

  • Belmont University – April 22

  • Des Moines University – April 25

  • Savannah College of Art & Design – April 26

  • University of Chicago – April 28

  • University of Minnesota – April 29

  • University of Georgia – May 3

  • Ohio State University – May 13

In addition, 36 other universities may be holding sleep-related events with products to help students sleep better, including Columbia University, Harvard University, MIT, UC Santa Cruz, and University of Oregon to name a few (complete list available here).

Image Via Flickr

Some schools have taken to installing newly-designed “nap pods” on their campuses for students to be able to sleep in public places. These pods (which cost roughly $9,000) come with a timer plus calming music to enhance the napper’s experience. Campuses unable to pay such an amount for the nap pods have begun adding extra-padded chairs and couches to their most frequented facilities such as libraries for students looking to squeeze extra sleep into their schedules during the day.

Ultimately, we must stop romanticizing lack of sleep and stop associating it with success. The best thing we can do for ourselves as frazzled, overworked college students is sleep.

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