Tuesday, November 20, 2001

Too tired to sleep
Lack of sleep results in students suffering in studies and health
By Erin LaMourie
Staff Reporter
Illustrations by Nick McPherson

Lights off. Total silence. Staring at the computer with eyes barely open.

It’s almost 2 a.m., and Amber Sutor still has many physics problems to finish. Her roommate has been asleep for hours and her own bed is now tempting her, but she knows she must stay awake and finish her homework. She has no choice. She either stays up late finishing it, or falls behind in her classes.

Sutor, a sophomore chemistry major, sacrifices hours of sleep night after night just trying to make the most of every minute of her time. With barely enough hours in the day to get things done, her only choice is to sacrifice sleep.

Many students on campus are stuck in the same pattern, struggling with sleeplessness and trying to remain awake, with no idea how it is affecting their bodies.

Dr. Kristyna Hartse, associate director of Sleep Consultants at 909 8th Ave., said she often sees student patients who are not getting enough sleep because of the academic pressures of college.

“A lot of times we think of sleep as nothing too important in our life when in fact it can affect everything we do during the day,” she said.

Hartse said sleep disorders like insomnia, the inability to sleep, can affect about one third of the population at some point in their life. But most students simply suffer from unhealthy sleeping habits and not sleep disorders, she said.

“The best thing is to keep a regular time of going to bed at night and getting up in the morning,” she said. “Keeping a regular schedule is very important.”

Hartse said a lack of sleep can cause poor concentration, poor memory, inability to focus, irritability and sleepiness.

“Sleepiness, sounds like a common sense side effect, but many people wonder why they are so sleepy because they are getting five or six hours of sleep at night,” she said. “But that is probably not enough sleep.”

Hartse said people usually need about seven to nine hours each night. Constant lack of sleep may cause health problems, she said.

“If day after day they still feel exhausted, or if they have other symptoms like snoring or bed covers are all torn up (when they awake), then they probably should talk to a doctor,” she said.

Sutor said on a good night she gets about six hours of sleep, but usually it is closer to three hours.

When the alarm rings in the morning, she is always sound asleep but somehow manages to make it out of bed. It is a constant battle to stay awake despite her many activities during the day.

“I try to stay awake in classes,” she said. “But I can tell I don’t because my notes get smaller and smaller and I find myself unable to read things.

“It is no fun to be tired in class,” Sutor said. “(Students) make stupid mistakes and don’t know what they are doing.”

Michael Dodson, a political science professor, said he tries to have constant activity in class to keep students alert.

Dodson said unless a student sleeps in class frequently, he will let the student continue to sleep. If a student does sleep in class often, he will begin to call on the student or stand by the student which usually keeps the student awake.

Candice Ditto, freshman interior design major, said she finishes her studies in the afternoon, but usually stays up late anyway.

“There are better things to do than sleep,” Ditto said.

Ditto said she spends time with friends and talking online. She manages to stay awake in classes with help from coffee and frequent naps between classes.

Hartse said if you need to miss sleep, it is important to catch up as soon as possible.

“The best thing to do is try to stick to a very regular time of going to bed and getting up, and to do that sometimes taking a brief naps during the day can help,” she said.

Sutor said she usually stays awake during the day by fidgeting and always keeping busy. She is able to make it through most days, but sometimes needs to give in and nap.

Without naps, Sutor knows she would not be able to catch up on missed sleep. She usually tries to catch up on weekends, but with church and other activities she often needs to wake up early.

As a substitute for sleep, some students turn to caffeine or other stimulants to stay awake.

Sometimes Sutor uses caffeine but usually can keep awake by studying in a well-lit room. She forces herself to stay awake because of the pressure of grades and the need to finish assignments.

However, Hartse said using these substances forces your body to stay awake and is usually not a good idea.

“They will cause you be to alert, but it is probably not a wise idea,” she said. “They are not going to make you more productive, but they are going to keep you awake.”

Sutor said teachers do not realize the amount of time it takes to complete homework.
“(Teachers) feel all students time is focused on their class and don’t seem to realize (students) have many other classes,” she said.

Sutor’s assignments usually need to be turned in for a grade, so she often doesn’t have the luxury of completing homework another night.

Dodson said he tries to assign homework as fairly as possible, knowing many of his students are involved in extracurricular activities and have part-time jobs.

“I think professors have an obligation to give students work to do outside of class,” he said. “I can’t expect students to spend all their time on my class.”

Sutor said though she stays up late, she knows when to call it quits.

“At some point, I just realize that nothing is making sense,” she said. “That is when I go to bed.”

Erin LaMourie
e.m.lamourie@student.tcu.edu