It is the fifth week of the semester, and instead of football games and parties dominating the brain, it is tests and projects.
And where tests and projects lurk, so do inadequate sleep and sleep deprivation, according to Amy Cavender, Wellness Education coordinator.
A report conducted by the National Sleep Foundation in 2000 found 26 percent of people under the age of 25 receive less than six and a half hours of sleep. The average person needs about eight hours of sleep each night.
And what that means for students is not good news.
“Not getting enough sleep can have a really profound influence on everything from complex thinking to mood to motor skills,” Cavender said.
Many students on campus know they do not get enough sleep.
Sarah Harris, a biological sciences freshman, said she is among the 26 percent of people receiving inadequate sleep each night.
“I have a 7:30 class every morning, and I am a night person,” Harris said. “I like to do things at night, go out and have fun and socialize. So I have long days.”
Harris said on average she gets only six to seven hours of sleep a night. And with tests on the horizon, she is learning to balance socialization time with study time to make more sleep time.
“The other day I had a test and was able to study and go to bed by 10,” Harris said. “When I get that much sleep I feel a lot better the next day.”
Ashley Weber, an elementary education senior, said school is a big determining factor in how much sleep she needs.
“It depends on what I have to do,” Weber said. “I will stay up as long as I have to in order to get everything done.”
Cavender said sleep deprivation now can lead to fatigue, but long-term effects could be worse.
“Some researchers have indicated that there is a correlation between sleep deprivation and health problems such as insulin resistance, which is related to Type II diabetes, and hypertension,” Cavender said. “Sleep deprivation can also reduce the effectiveness of the immune system, which opens the door for infections such as colds and flu.
Students can try to help their sleep by eating properly before bed.
“Avoiding foods and drinks with caffeine in the hours before bedtime can be helpful if someone wants to get to sleep quickly,” Cavender said.
Try to avoid heavy meals, such as spicy meals, before bed because they will hamper sleep and may cause heartburn, Cavender said.
For more information on sleep deprivation, contact the Wellness Education Department in 275 LSU Student Health Center or at 578-5718.