It has been well established that college students often do not get enough quality sleep. This is an unfortunate realization because a good night’s rest can positively affect mind and body health and an overall sense of well-being. The most recent studies suggest that the majority of us need approximately 8 hours of sleep. Too little or too much sleep (less than or more than 8 hours) will result in the manifestation of a variety of symptoms that can, in time, impair a person’s functioning and may even cause serious illness. Here is a list of symptoms of sleep deprivation. As you note, these symptoms potentially influence every aspect of a person’s daily living.

Some Symptoms of Sleep Deprivation
• Perception deteriorates (resulting in hallucinations if sleep loss is prolonged)
• Reaction time is damaged (interestingly, studies show that speed of reaction does not simply slow down, as one might expect, but becomes increasingly more erratic, surely a greater hazard than a predictable loss of speed).
• Performance of all tasks is impaired
• Energy levels decrease
• Motivation diminishes
• Vulnerability to pain increases
• Memory becomes faulty
• Efficiency is impaired
• Attentiveness is reduced
• Judgment breaks down
• Psychologically, one is apt to become negative, listless, hostile, detached and depressed