Students: get your rest!

On average, college students are not getting enough sleep. For the average college student it seems like there are just not enough hours in the day. The first thing that college students seem to put off is sleep.

As Chabot’s own health teacher, Jeanine Paz, would say, “If someone puts their head to the pillow and immediately falls asleep, they’re over-tired.”

There is no set amount of hours that anyone should be sleeping because everyone is different and some people can run on less sleep than others with no problems.

However, the average amount of sleep that our bodies need is around seven-and-a-half to eight hours of sleep. There seems to be some confusion as to why people may sleep for nearly 10 hours and still feel very tired.

One reason this may be happening is because there actually different stages of sleep. If you find yourself waking up constantly during the night you may not be achieving the most important stage of sleep.

Another reason is that though the body may be asleep, if there is an uncomfortable atmosphere, such as noise, extreme temperatures or bright lighting, the body may be tossing and turning which takes away from restful sleep.

The most important stage of sleep is the rapid eye movement stage, better known as REM. During this stage the body’s brainwaves are similar to those of when the body is awake. This is the most restful and rejuvenating stage of sleep.

“If you’re dreaming, you are getting good sleep,” said Paz. REM sleep on average takes about 30 minutes to achieve after falling asleep. There are also tons of benefits to getting a good night of sleep.

People who get the recommended amount of sleep daily tend to feel more alert, have an easier time losing weight and are in an overall better mood. For those on a diet, a good night of sleep is an essential part of any dieting plan.

For people who have trouble falling asleep there are plenty of ways to help get a better night of sleep.

Exercising regularly is something that will help the body fall into a more consistent sleep schedule, and eating healthier will help with staying asleep at night.

Getting a healthy amount of sleep is important. If you don’t have the time, make the time. In the long run it’ll keep you stronger, healthier, and happier. Cheers!