College students are getting two fewer hours of sleep than recommended by the National Sleep Foundation, and a recent study shows many students are using substances to combat their natural sleep-wake cycles.The study, published last month in the Journal of Adolescent Health, asked 1,000 undergraduates to document the quantity and quality of their sleep every morning and if they used drugs and alcohol to alter their sleep patterns for one week.  Researchers found 60 percent of students use stimulants and 18 percent use medication or alcohol to fight their natural sleep-wake cycle and to balance schoolwork, jobs and social lives.Kathryn Jacobs, philosophy sophomore, said she drinks coffee to wake up in the morning and to stay awake at night for studying.Elizabeth Reames, nutrition professor, said common stimulants such as coffee, tea and diet sodas aren’t harmful in moderation.”It’s the caffeine that gives you the energy,” Reames said. “Caffeine can actually be an ergogenic aid used to enhance performance.”But Reames said other caffeine stimulants like non-diet sodas and energy drinks are high in sugar and calories.”They may give you a quick burst of energy, but the energy rise may be followed by a drop,” Reames said.Reames said too much caffeine can raise blood pressure and make people feel jittery and nervous.”So if you stayed awake all night drinking caffeine and go take an exam feeling jittery and irritable, you won’t be operating at 100 percent,” Reames said.Reames said alcohol should not be used as a sleep aid because it’s a depressant.”It won’t be a relaxed, normal sleep,” she said. “You won’t wake up feeling refreshed.”Reames said using artificial means to offset the natural sleep-wake cycle isn’t a healthy choice.”You are not following the natural inclination of your body,” she said. “And some of the sleep aids may become habitual, where your body will almost need it to go to sleep.”Reames said maintaining a regular daily routine with a healthy diet and exercise can help to instill regular sleep habits.Lahna Roche, assistant director for the Center for Academic Success, said students should incorporate sleep into schedules to ensure they get the recommended nine hours. CAS offers a weekly planning system for students to organize their time and activities for the entire week, including time spent at work and school and sleeping and exercising.”Sleep is a necessary aspect of life and essential for our health,” Roche said.Roche said sleep loss can lead to poor concentration, moodiness, irritability and impatience.Michael Brown, chemistry senior, said sleep isn’t always an option.”When it comes down to crunch time and I have to choose between sleep and studying all night, I’ll pull an all-nighter,” he said. “I can sleep when I’m dead.”Roche said pulling all-nighters is never a good idea because it affects a student’s performance the next day.”Sleep rejuvenates the body and the mind,” she said. “It reprocesses the day’s events and what’s been studied is solidified into memory.”Roche recommends students plan out study sessions, with 50-minute study intervals and 10-minute breaks in between.  Roche said people who have trouble sleeping at night should try to make their rooms dark, quiet places and avoid using their beds for purposes other than sleeping.”When you do things like watching TV or doing your homework in bed, it becomes an active place,” she said.Roche said it is also helpful to exercise, limit naps and avoid eating and drinking large amounts before bedtime.—-Contact Sarah Eddington at [email protected].