Sleep deprivation of college students

What Are the Causes of Sleep Deprivation in College Students?

Sleep deprivation differs in particular population based on different factors, for example, age, race, occupation, and income. Adults and young adults, including college students, are some of most sleep-deprived groups. An average person advantage from no less than 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night is a sufficient amount of time for a person to acquire a healthy sleep cycle. Apparently, college students are one amongst the most sleep-deprived populations. Compared with other adult groups, college students has the worst sleep hygiene. When students are sleep deprived affects their ability to focus causing difficulty to acquire information. Therefore, it is harder for them to learn efficiently. The three major causes of sleep deprivation in college students that need to be aware of are caffeine, alcohol consumption, and the use of electronic device before going to sleep.

The impacts of caffeine can last for hours, which attracts students toward the viability of caffeine consumption. According to Mirghani, Ahmed, and Elbadawi, students rely on caffeinated beverages, for example, espressos, lattes and energy drinks for their wellspring of caffeine. Students who intend to study late at night, seek caffeinated beverages since they are instantly available products (2015). Also, Hershner and Chervin attest that the reaction of the body to highly caffeinated beverages is impeding the sleep cycle. For instance, consumption of 2 to 4 cups of coffee taken during the evening can build sleep dormancy on average from 6. 3 to 12. 1 minutes that lessen sleepiness, and enhance support of alertness (2014). Caffeine consumption is ordinarily used as a part of the college way of life as a solution for protecting alertness and above all, avoiding sleep in times when there is a desperation for studying. Energy drinks are another type of caffeinated beverages that are well known to students. Like coffee, the primary wellsprings of the boost in energy drinks is caffeine, which affects body similarly. Students see the impact of caffeine as an advantage to their wellbeing; however, many do not consider the unsafe reactions related with depriving themselves from sleep. This proposes caffeine consumed in the evening could impede one’s capacity to fall asleep.

In addition to caffeine, alcohol consumption is also one of the contributing factor that causes sleep-deprivation among college students. A study conducted by Mirghani, Ahmed, and Elbadawi, the cause of sleeping late among college students is the consumption caffeinated cocktails with alcohol (2015). Moreover, Hershner and Chervin demonstrate that approximately four out of five college students drink alcohol. Alcohol is known to abbreviate sleep inertness, it promotes fragmented sleep in the last 50% of the night. In addition, 11. 6% of students who drank alcohol use it as a sleep aid. The use of alcohol for sleep is a dangerous practice that has a negative impact on health. In fact, alcohol may increase the risk for obstructive sleep apnea (2014). As a college student, they anticipate partying on weekend nights. By midnight they have had enough alcoholic beverages to plainly inebriated them. When they finally get back to their apartment and sleep for about 10 hours, their brain has never wholly rested. As a result, they wake up feeling tired and drowsy on the following morning with scarcely enough energy throughout the day. Furthermore, students prefer entertaining themselves with different indecencies to pondering their physical and mental states. Although the parties can be somewhat relaxant, they can incredibly set aside their health if they consume alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs in addition to partying until the dawn.

While students’ consumption of caffeine and alcohol beverages cause the sleep deprivation, it is just as crucial as the presence of electronic devices before bed is a current phenomenon that is causing college students sleep deprived. According to Hershner and Chervin “ the 2011 Sleep in America Poll addressed technology available in the bedroom. “ Generation Y’ers” (adults aged 19–29 years old) are heavy users of technology prior to bed: 67% use cell phones, 43% music devices, 60% computers, and 18% video games. The majority (51%) report rarely getting a good night’s sleep and often wake unrefreshed” ( 2014). In addition, light exposure through electronic sources, for example, computers, tablets, and cellphones affect sleep by smothering melatonin secretion. Melatonin is discharged by the pineal gland and manages the body’s circadian rhythm (the body’s regular rest cycle clock) (Mirghani, Ahmed, and Elbadawi, 2015). It is less demanding for students to get to this kind of diversion while in bed streaming services. For example, Netflix which they can watch movies and TV series on their smartphone or tablets with no TV required. In fact, frequent use of electronic devices prior bedtime is one of the contributing factors that making college students sleep deprived due to the blue light come from these devices. As a result, students stay awake late at night. However, many students use technology as a relaxation prior bedtime, which just harming their health and subsequently affecting their performance in school and other activities. Therefore, continuous light exposure is associated with lack of sleep. In this way, students who are using these electronic devices confront the high risk of sleep deprivation.

College students will probably get under 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night if they use electronic devices like smartphones, tablets, and computers. Also the consumption of preventative sleep substance, such as caffeine and alcoholic beverages. College students are in a period of transition. Their lives are brimming with both new social and academic encounters. This age group is notorious for giving up their sleep just to meet other demands in their lives. Lack of sleep is a significant issue, and the lack of knowledge about the causes of sleep deprivation can put oneself at risk physically and academically.