College life is notoriously known as one of the most sleep-deprived eras in a person’s life. With the combination of school work, part-time jobs, and social life, most college students find it hard to get an adequate amount of sleep. This can lead to fatigue, lack of focus, and feeling lathargic—much like the Winnie the Pooh character, Eeyore. Therefore, this begs the question, how much sleep do you really need?
Let’s make a quick study of what happens to our bodies when we sleep. There are two main states that we cycle through during sleep—Non-REM (Non-Rapid Eye Movement) and REM (Rapid Eye Movement, not the band!). A complete sleep cycle passes through both states, on average lasting about 90 minutes. Although each time we cycle through, the amount of time spent in each state is slightly different.
Non-REM
- Makes up about 80% of your sleep time.
- Non-REM is the first state you enter when you fall asleep. It consists of three stages: Transition to sleep, light sleep, and deep sleep.
- Each full cycle of Non-REM can last from twenty minutes to over an hour.
- Your body repairs and regenerates tissues, builds bone and muscle, and strengthens its immune system during Non-REM.
- It can be incredibly difficult to wake up during the deep sleep state of Non-REM.
REM
- Makes up about 20% of your sleep time.
- The cycle of REM gets progressively longer with each cycle completed. The first cycle may last only ten minutes, and the last one may last up to an hour.
- Dreams occur during this stage.
- Our brain stores memories and replenishes hormones during REM that are important to our mood and emotions.
We must pass through the complete cycle multiple times to acquire sufficient sleep, averaging four to five cycles each night. The amount of sleep you need depends on several factors, one of which is age. Most college-age students and adults need from 7-9 hours of sleep. If you have the urge to fall asleep during class on a daily basis, it may not be just because the professor is boring. Most likely you aren’t getting enough sleep.
Lack of sleep can result in many serious problems for college students, such as impaired memory and thought processes, depression, and a decreased immune response. Unfortunately, it is possible to acquire a sleep debt—not that you don’t already have enough debt as a student! Sufficient sleep is highly recommended in order to stay on top of your game and enjoy both good grades and social experiences. Although if the occasional all-nighter should occur, especially during finals week, don’t underestimate the benefits of a power nap.
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