--Original published at Alex's Thoughts

My sleeping habits are relatively healthy, and I make sure that I get at least six hours of sleep per night. I simply cannot function properly if I am sleep deprived, I fall asleep at odd intervals and can’t focus if I get less than six hours of sleep. I also generally enjoy sleeping, as I tend to have vivid dreams. As such, I like to strive for at least eight hours of sleep so that I can have a decent amount of dreams while not gaining an excessive amount of sleep. I tend to have headaches if I get too much sleep, and I often cannot think clearly for an extended period of time if I go over nine hours of sleep. A realistic amount of sleep to be expected from the standard college student should be at least six hours, as I understand that homework and studying often take up a lot of time that would otherwise be occupied by sleeping. Any less, and the student risks losing the ability to learn in class because they will be too fatigued. More than six is obviously preferable, but six at the least is the desirable goal.

To improve one’s sleeping habits, a few easy steps can be followed. The first would be to limit screen time before you go to bed. Focus on reading or paperwork before you go so that you brain has time to process information while not being bombarded by the light produced from electronics. The second would be to clear one’s mind while trying to fall asleep. If you are not thinking, your thoughts are not preventing you from falling asleep. The third would be to have a large amount of blankets in a cool environment. I personally sleep the best when the temperature is cool, but I am well insulated from the ambient air because of my bedding.

Honestly, the biggest motivator for me to sleep is the idea that I’ll be able to dream. I generally enjoy most dreams that I have, and the thought that I’ll be able to create an entire world to explore in the space of a few minutes is astonishing. If nothing else, sleep offers much in the way of entertainment.

--Original published at Jill Distler's Psychology Blog

I don’t think that I can consider myself an average college student, most of my friends who live on campus don’t typically sleep that much at night, but periodically are able to take a nap throughout their day. As a commuting student, I feel that my sleep schedule is fairly comparable to the average working adult. I wake up at about nine each morning, and once I am awake, I am awake for my entire day. If I have classes, I tend to choose ones that end and begin near each other so that I do not spend time at the school when I don’t have too. I have many responsibilities living on my farm and working at my job part time which makes it difficult for me to find time to stop and take a nap in the middle of my day. I would like to think I am lucky enough to average approximately eight to ten hours of sleep each night, sometimes even more. There are nights where I get less due to me spending time with my friends on campus or getting a later start on my daily barn and horse chores due to spending time with my boyfriend or members of our church. I think a realistic sleep goal would be about six to eight hours a night for a college student but depending on the course load that the student is taking those classes may require more or less time studying, taking away from the amount of time that they are able to spend asleep.

--Original published at Ariana's Blog

Sleep is a very important part of my life. I believe that my sleep habits are healthy thus far in my college experience. I go to sleep the same time every night around 11, give or take one hour. I sleep for 8-10 hours a night depending on when my first class of the day is. I do not take any naps because I sleep so well at night; I don’t need them. Since I do not have any 8 am classes, I sleep in as much as I can. I try not to lose sleep over studying, so I get my work done early. I think that it depends on the individual for how much sleep they need. 

A goal for sleep is at least 7 hours for a college student. Some people can function off of less sleep then other people, but a reasonable goal is 7 hours. This gives not only the brain but the body a chance to regroup and get ready for the next day. It so important that the body can rejuvenate to give us energy.

I would like to improve my sleep habits by trying to wake up at the same time every morning to give my body some routine. I would also like to not use my phone before I go to bed because that causes me to go to bed later then I would like. I can achieve this by shutting my phone off, so I’m not tempted to pick it up.

--Original published at Maddy Vingom's PSY105 Blog

Many college students are sleep deprived, but I do not consider myself to be a part of this group. I believe that my sleep habits are much better than many of my peers. During the week I typically go to sleep around midnight and wake up around 9:00 in the morning, so on average I get about nine hours of sleep each night. There is one day each week where I need to be awake by 7:00 in the morning. I go to bed around the same time and go to class with only seven hours of sleep, on these days I tend to be a little more tired than usual. I try to finish my homework by 10:30 at night so I am able to have time to relax before I go to bed. On the weekends I tend to stay up later and sleep in later, still averaging nine hours each night.

I know I get enough sleep each night, because I wake up in a good mood and I have enough energy to get through the day. Although, I do think there are some areas at which I can improve. I would make my schedule more consistent by going to bed earlier and waking up earlier, rather than continue to stay up late and sleep in. I would also use my phone less before going to bed. I have noticed that the light from my phone is causing me to stay up later and it takes me longer to fall asleep.

--Original published at Jessica K's College Blog

For a freshman college student like myself, there are many twists and turns when it comes to how much sleep people should regularly have. While I have the chance to work on assignments and projects, I at times have time to sleep at 9-10 p.m. to 7 in the morning, allowing myself to prepare with the basic necessities.

However, the basic knowledge of acquiring the standard 8 hours of sleep can become either reasonable or problematic in relation to how someone’s daily assessments are. If there time is properly managed, there is a chance that that person will be well-rested in the regular 8 hours or more. But for harder-working individuals, in regards to either jobs, careers, or normally scheduled events, times can become hectic and stressful; giving the person inadequate time to relax and slow down.

While my own schedule has been tightly-knit or carefree, there are some instances when I could not get tired at the regular time, feeling far too busy with whatever is on my mind at the moment. But for any working individual, sleep is meant to be a natural stress reliever, to let their body wind down and assess itself in a orderly manner.

If sleep is still a relatively askew concept, there is no denying the sense of relief that anyone feels once they get a proper night’s rest, no matter how many hours they believe is acceptable.

--Original published at AlexisPattersonBlog

I would say my sleep habits vary. Being a college athlete has taken a toll on my sleeping patterns. With traveling away to games and not getting back until late at night, and having to find the time to do small things you need to get done and get adequate sleep for your classes the next day makes things hard. I used to be real enforcer of the 8 hour rule. I was convinced that if I got at least 8 hours or close to that, then I would get a good amount of sleep to function the next day. I know we have been told otherwise, but I do believe that 8 hours is a decent amount of time to have at the least.

Everyone is different in class schedules at school, so the time that people need to be up in the morning will vary. People also have different personal lives. Some people like to get up and get dressed nice in the morning and have a sit down breakfast before their 8 am class. I am the person who will roll out of bed at 12 for my 12:30 class.

I find that I can improve my sleep habits with minimizing the amount of time during the day that I am laying around doing nothing and I can start to do more that way I am not cramming it in at night. I also like to watch tv at night and do my homework after, and another option would be to do the work and then watch tv before bed.

--Original published at WilliamsCollegeBlog

Since I’m currently in my sophomore year of college, I have had to adapt to multiple sleep schedules. Each semester I usually must change when I wake up, but I usually try to go to bed around the same general time no matter the situation. I try to be relaxing in my bed around 11 and asleep by midnight. This semester the earliest I wake up is 7:30 and the other days it is a little later or I do not set an alarm and just wake up when my body is ready to. My general rule is to try and get seven hours of sleep and nine hours is the maximum amount I will normally get. Throughout these first couple semesters, I have had sleep schedules which worked right away and others where I needed to adjust when I go to bed in order to get optimum sleep. From this, I can tell I have changed my habits for the better and can notice differences compared to last semester in how I function in other classes.

I would think a healthy amount of sleep for any college student would be around seven hours of sleep. If a random student goes to bed by midnight and have an 8:00 am morning class, waking up at 7:00 and getting seven hours of sleep seems reasonable. Overall, I believe my sleep schedule is generally good. I should reduce the amount of time I am on my phone before trying to fall asleep. I have had nights where I am restless and can remember being on my phone later than I intended to. This will allow for my body to be in a better state when trying to sleep earlier.

--Original published at Olivia's College Blog

Poor sleeping habits can be detrimental to other areas of daily life, like academic success, and mental and physical health. Before experiencing college life, I heard many older family members and high school alumni claim that “The three branches of college are social life, academics, and sleep. If you want to be successful you have to choose two of them”. I figured this was an exaggeration, just highlighting the fact that college requires a lot of time management. I’ve learned that college is in fact extremely demanding of my time, but as long as I am mindful of the time I dedicate to each of those three areas, I can manage.

Throughout my life, I’ve had sleeping problems that have made it difficult to have consistent and deep sleep. For that reason, I have always made sleep one of my top priorities. I know that sleep deprivation can make it very difficult to perform in regular tasks like exams or athletics. In an effort to stay on top of how much I sleep, I keep a sleeping schedule and aim to fall asleep and wake up at the same time each day. Over the years I found that it helped my body fall into rhythm which facilitated falling asleep and waking up. Additionally, I have learned how to get a better sleep by eliminating naps. During my first year of college, I took daily naps to decompress, relax, and break up homework during the day. I would oversleep and sometimes sleep hours on end, which made it nearly impossible to fall asleep at night. Having some experience in college has helped me understand what my body requires for the best sleep.

I’ve never been one to pull all-nighters doing homework or cramming for exams. I feel that I do best when I am rested, so I find more comfort in having a good night’s rest as opposed to studying in the early morning hours before an exam. I typically sleep a minimum of 8 hours a night. As an athlete, I think I should get more than 8 hours, taking into account the excess of calories burned and the exhaustion I feel at the end of every day. Overall, I think my sleeping habits are healthy and I plan to continue making healthy sleeping habits a priority.

--Original published at Victoria's Psych Blog

Sleep is something that I am currently struggling with. Although it has been something that I have always had an issue with, it is much different now. In high school, I would fall asleep around 1 am working on schoolwork because of my busy schedule. The past summer before college I started having symptoms of arthritis and I was always tired. A walk across a parking lot made me exhausted and I barely could stay awake. At the end of the summer, I was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis. PsA is an autoimmune disease where my immune system attacks healthy joint; therefore, my body is always working harder than needed. This led to a drastic intake of sleep and my first semester of college was rough. My first year seminar met at 8am and I missed almost 2/3rds of the classes. The average amount of sleep I get each night is eleven hours. It was hard to juggle my classes and schoolwork and go to bed at 9pm each night. It was impossible. This semester is easier going to class, but I still sleep at least eleven hours every night. On the days that I do a lot of walking, I will sleep at least fourteen hours. I am unsure if I am able to say if my sleep is healthy. My increased sleep is help my body heal and reenergize itself. Yet, my social life is lacking because of it as well.

An average college student should get at least eight hours of sleep, at least that is what I have been told. Like I learned in class today, everybody has different needs. I think that sleep would be improved if students learned to manage time better and make a schedule for doing work. All electronic work should be done before paper work. That way the blue light of the computer will not affect melatonin levels in the body. Between classes is also a good time to review flashcards and other study tools. Studying and homework should be done in natural or soft lighting. Students shouldn’t stay up late doing work anyway because of how memory works. Information retention works better when you get the right amount of sleep. fff

--Original published at JanellesCollegeBlog

My sleep habits have changed drastically since I came to college. In high school I was in bed most nights by 10 and then woke up in the morning around 6:30 for school. On weekends I went to sleep later, around midnight, but only slept until about 9 in the morning. Therefore, even though it was different hours I was getting about the same amount of sleep on the weekends as the weekdays.

Since coming to college, I usually go to sleep around midnight and wake up the next morning between 7:30 and 8:30 depending on what classes I have that day. When I go to bed at midnight I usually do not fall asleep until about 12:30. This is different than high school because I am only getting 7 hours of sleep during the week now. Most weekends I stay up until 1 or 2 a.m. hanging out with friends. Instead of getting up at 9 on weekends, I now wake up much later, most times around 11 a.m. I think of the weekends as a way to catch up on sleep I missed during the week. I do not think this is an effective or healthy strategy. I think sleeping in late on weekends makes it much harder for me to wake up for my 8 a.m. class on Monday.

I think a realistic amount of sleep for a college student is 6 hours per night. By the time students are done with classes, homework, athletics, or extracurriculars it is much later than some people may think. Despite this, I think I function best with at least 7 hours of sleep. If I get less than this I tend to feel slow and cannot focus in classes as well.

A bad habit I have is showering late at night. I know this is not good for me as it wakes me up instead of making me tired. I also go on my phone right before going to sleep which I know is not good. To improve my sleep habits, I will try to shower earlier at night and not be on my phone right before I go to sleep.