Sleep

College life is busy, but sleep isn't a luxury. Prioritizing both the quantity and quality of your sleep can help you feel better, think more clearly, and perform at your best.

Why Sleep Matters: Sleep is essential for your physical health, mental well-being, and academic success. Regularly getting enough quality sleep can help you manage stress, adjust to college, and improve anxiety. 

How Much Sleep Do You Need?

Aim for 8 hours of sleep each night. Getting enough sleep is important, but so is getting quality sleep. Deep, uninterrupted sleep is when your brain and body do much of their most important work.

What Sleep Does For You

Physical Health

Quality sleep helps your body recover and stay healthy by:

• Supporting your immune system so you can fight off illness 
• Repairing muscles and healing injuries 
• Improving athletic performance through muscle memory and recovery 
• Reducing your risk of developing serious health problems later in life 

Mental Health

Sleep and mental health are closely connected. Getting enough quality sleep can:

• Reduce feelings of anxiety and depression 
• Improve your ability to manage everyday stress 
• Help you regulate emotions 
• Increase positive emotions like joy and contentment 

Poor sleep can:

• Increase feelings of anxiety and depression 
• Raise your risk of developing depression 
• Make everyday stress feel harder to manage 
• Increase irritability and anger 
• Reduce your ability to experience positive emotions 

Why Everything Feels Worse in the Middle of the Night

Between 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m., your brain works differently. During these hours:

• Activity in your prefrontal cortex (your brain's logic and decision-making center) decreases. 
• Activity in your amygdala (the brain's emotional and fear center) increases.  

As a result, worries and negative thoughts can feel much more intense. You may find yourself thinking things like "I don't have any friends" or  "I'll never get through this". These thoughts often feel very real at the time but may not accurately reflect reality. Getting sleep allows your brain to reset and process emotions more effectively.

Academic Success

Sleep directly affects your ability to learn and perform in school. In fact, research shows that students with healthier sleep habits consistently earn higher GPAs than students with poor sleep habits.

Sleep helps you:

• Focus during class 
• Learn new information 
• Retain what you've studied 
• Recall information during exams 
• Solve problems and think clearly 

Your Brain Consolidates Memories While You Sleep

While you're sleeping, your brain transfers information from short-term memory into long-term memory. Getting quality, deep sleep helps you remember what you studied and makes it easier to recall information later.

Sleep Deprivation Has Real Consequences

• After 24 hours without sleep, your brain functions similarly to someone with a 0.10% blood alcohol concentration (BAC). 
• A tired brain may take about 5 hours to complete work that a well-rested brain could finish in 2–3 hours. 
• Getting enough quality sleep gives you more energy and can increase motivation. 

Tips for Better Sleep

Healthy sleep habits can make it easier to fall asleep, stay asleep, and wake up feeling rested.

Make Your Bed a Place for Sleep

Avoid activities that teach your brain that bed is a place to stay awake and mentally active instead of a place for sleep.

• Studying in bed 
• Eating in bed 
• Scrolling on your phone in bed 

Watch What You Consume

• Avoid caffeine in the afternoon and evening 
• Be mindful of alcohol use. Alcohol disrupts the stage of sleep your brain needs to form memories. This is one reason people may "black out" and have difficulty remembering events after drinking. 

Power Down Before Bed

Turn off or put away electronics at least one hour before bedtime to help your brain prepare for sleep.

Get Daytime Light

Exposure to natural light during the day helps regulate your body's internal clock and supports better sleep at night. Light therapy lamps are available in several campus locations to use during winter, including the Student Center, Fox Hall, Ireland Green Room, and ODY (sign out from the desk). 

Move Your Body

Regular physical activity can improve sleep quality and help you fall asleep more easily.

Avoid Heavy Meals Before Bed

Eating a large meal right before bed can make it harder to fall asleep because your body is focused on digesting instead of resting.

Remember: Investing in your sleep is one of the most effective ways to support your health, well-being, and success in college.