Typically, just like breathing, drinking, and eating, sleep is one of the vital basic needs that forms the basis of a good health all though ones lifetime. To this effect sleep deprivation is a disorder that is experienced when one lacks enough sleep, when he or she sleeps at the wrong time of the day, or even when he she gets poor sleep during his or her time in bed (Kalpidou, 1560) According to health experts, acute sleep deprivation occurs when one experiences a total absence or reduction of sleep for a period of one to two days. On the other hand, chronic sleep disorder is a condition whereby an individual has a tendency of sleeping for a short period of time than the required time for all throughout his or her lifetime. As a result of this deficiency, one will experience mental and physical health problems and worst of all one can even die because of this disorder. (Carter, 2013).

Table of Contents Abstract 1 1.0 Introduction 3 2.0 Historical background of sleep deprivation and college students 3 3.0 Cause of sleep deprivation among college students 3 3.1 Stress 4 3.2 Underestimation of importantance of sleep 4 3.3 Drug and substance abuse 4 3.4 Unfavorable environment 5 3.5 Peer pressure 5 3.6 Psychological disorder or medical condition 6 4.0 Signs of sleep deprivation among college students 6 4.1 Reduced ability to handle stress 6 4.2 Increased appetite 7 4.3 Fatigue 7 4.4 Inability to concentrate 7 4.5 Compromised immune system 8 4.6 Cause accidents 8 5.0 Effects of sleeping deprivation among college students 8 5.1 Depression 9 5.2 Missed classes 9 5.3 Poor classroom performance 9 5.4 Weight again 10 6.0 Ways of dealing with sleeping deprivation 10 6.1 Establish regular schedule for bed time 10 6.2 Engage in physically activity 11 6.3 Make sure the environment is favorable 11 6.4 Avoid alcohol 11 7.0 Conclusion and recommendation 11 Works cited 13

1.0 Introduction

Several studies have been conducted by many scholars and psychologists on the causes, signs and effects of sleeping deprivation among different people across the globe (Lurie, 2011). With globalization and technological changes students across the globe are increasingly interacting in various institutions of learning and cases of deprivation among college students have been increasing in different colleges and other institutions of learning in the United States of America (Wolfson, 2013). In this respect, this research paper will examine sleep deprivation and college students.

For centuries, sleep deprivation among different people has been the centre of interest to philosophers and scholars all over the world. Recent studies conducted revealed that many college students in different parts of the world are victims of this condition which has greatly affected their learning and their overall class performance. Studies conducted shows that, at puberty college students are working zombies who experience a lot of nightmares. Most of them lack enough sleep, some work at night unconsciously while other experience a lot of hallucinations (Weiten, 2010).

Studies shows that sleep deprivation is a common phenomenon among many college students and most of these students spent a lot of their time asleep. Although, health experts recommend that a healthy individual is suppose to sleep for an average of 8 hours most of these students spend less time in bed and you could easily find a group of college students awake as early as 2.00 AM. (Moorcroft, 2013). Several studies have been conducted by psychologists and other scholars as they try to examine different causes of sleep deprivation and some of the causes indentified include the following.

Basically, studies shows that stress among college students has been the main cause of around 68% sleep deprivation among college students. In this case, college students are given a lot of schoolwork in form of assignments; take away quizzes, research work, class presentation among other class work that they will be required to submit within limited time duration. In order for these students to finish this school work, some of them are forced to spend long hours doing research, answering quizzes that they have been given by their tutors or teachers. Some of them go to an extend of even reading the work night and spending only 2 or 3 hours for sleep as they try to catch up and finish all these assignments on time because failure to do so make them to fail in their class work. To this effect, many of these college students end up experiencing sleep deprivation disorder in the rest of their life time

Studies show that, students in different colleges across the work underestimate importance of sleep in their lives. A good number of college students spend their time at night watching movies, hanging out with their friends among other things that are not constructive. In this respect, most of them forego sleep at night and as a result of this, their mental and physical health is sabotaged.

Drug and substance abuse among many college students is a matter of concern and statistics from research conducted by many scholars indicate that there is an increasing tendency of college students engaging in alcohol. It is indeed evident that, college students take alcohol and other drugs as a way of regulating their sleep. Some use these drugs to make them asleep while others use them as a way of making them awake all through out the day. As a matter of fact, most of these students alternate the use of these drugs thus they eventually became addicted to these drugs and as a result of this, they eventually experience poor sleep and they even experience a lot of stress because of the lack of sleep.

Typically, the surrounding environment especially where college students live has positive or negative impact on their sleep. Some environments are cool and silent thus enabling college students to get enough sleep. However, in some colleges especially those located in urban areas or those near an industry are not suitable for the welfare of many students. The hostels and the general environment within these areas are noisy and in addition to this, many college students have room mates who like listening to loud music. The noises from the outside environment as well as from within the institution affects sleeping pattern of many college students. Studies conducted shows that, due to noise and loud music from environment and from their roommates many college students end up experiencing acute or even chronic sleep deprivation (Landow, 2006)

Apart from the mention stress caused by students need to meet their deadlines in completion and submission of their assignments, term papers and research work, many college students are influenced by their fellow peers. In this respect, there is a growing tendency of college students spending most of their time with their friends as they chat or even go out. A good number of students argue that, the only leisure time that they can enjoy themselves with their friends is in the evening or even the whole night. According to reports from research experts these students are influenced by their peers who convince their friends that they should go partying at night or they should go out for a night dance in their nearest club in town. As a result of this peer influence, the new behavior eventually becomes a routine to many students who spend their time at time hanging out with their friend out there thus this will make them to experience sleeping deprivation as they try to satisfy their need of enjoying themselves with their friends.

Clinical and psychological experts argue that sleep deprivation among college students can be caused by a medical or psychological condition. Generally, those students who are victims of sleep deprivation disorder might be experiencing a lot of mood disorder or anxiety problems. Some of these anxiety problems are due to financial problems, families’ issues among others thus making these students to experience long nights of going without any sleep.

Many people have been wondering and asking themselves the question, what are the signs of sleeping deprivation among college students? (Pace-Schott, 2003).Well the answer here is simple, several studies and research conducted on sleep deprivation among college students and some of the signs identified include the following:

As earlier mentioned that, one of the causes of sleep deprivation among college students is stress caused by, large bulk of school work among other appointments that the student meets in his or her daily college routine. To this effect, students who end up panicking, running up and down as they try to beat the deadline of submission of their assignments as well as research and term papers can be categorized as victims of sleep deprivation. This is so because these students, spend long hours as they try to finish their school tasks and they go to an extend of spending as little as 2 hours for sleep time as opposed to the required average time of 6-8 hours for a normal person.

Generally, victims of sleep deprivation disorder are in most cases having a lot of appetite and craving for foods that are rich in carbohydrates. This is so because such students spend a lot of their energy when awake as they try to complete their tasks thus their bodies are not given enough time for rest. Metabolism rate among these college students is very high and after a short time they eventually become angry thus they are constantly in need of food rich in carbs. Therefore, college students who are hungry are in a suffering from this disorder known as sleeping deprivation.

Tiredness and fatigue as another sign of sleeping deprivation is witnessed when college students are found of falling asleep during their class time or when a lesson is in progress. In this respect, students who spend a lot of time at night watching movies, going out for a dance or even chatting with friends rather than getting enough rest by sleeping end up feeling tired in the course of the day during class time. Some of these students end up feeling restless, tired and they even go to the extend of taking a nap at class rather than participating actively in class work (Lee-Chiong, 2005)

Typically, college students who are suffering from sleeping deprivation are characterized by inability of focusing in class, and inability to memorize or process information. All these can be summed up as the inability to concentrate in class because such students loose attention in class and when asked simple questions from class work they are not able to answer them even if they were taught in a few minutes ago. Therefore, as a teacher or tutor one should note of these inability among his or her students who are suffering from sleeping deprivation.

Typically students suffering from sleeping deprivation are prone to various diseases such as flu and cold. This is so because, lack of enough sleep makes their body immune system to be poor thus incase of any exposure to disease causing agents such students eventually gets sick. In this respect college students suffering from sleeping deprivation are indeed susceptible to a number of diseases that make their bodies weak all the time and above all some end up dying because of the disorder.

Last but not least, college students suffering from sleep deprivation have been held accountable for a number of accidents within their colleges as well as when they are out there in the corporate world when they are on their businesses. This can be attributed to the abuse of drugs and other substances by these students as they try to regulate their sleep. As a result of this, such students become addicted to these drugs thus affecting their mental health. Some of them end up becoming violent and they start they go to an extent of attacking people whom they meet on the way thus causing accidents.

Sleeping deprivation as a disorder has a number of negative effects on the entire life of many college students because it affects his or her mental and physical health at large. Among the effects of sleeping deprivation in the entire life of many college students include the following.

Studies conducted by Brad Wolgast (2012) from University of Delaware indicate that students suffering from sleeping deprivation suffer from depression and anxiety. Such students feel lonely and dissatisfied and they end up secluded themselves from their classmates. In extreme cases, students experiencing depression as a result of sleeping deprivation end up suffering from serious mental disorders such as hallucinations which will need medical attention from psychiatrist. Such students can turn violent and cause accidents to other innocent students as well on themselves during such instances (Hales, 2009).

It is indeed evident that college students suffering from sleep deprivation disorder spend most of their day time sleeping or watching a movie or TV among other things. This behavior will continue for quite a long time and to this effect most of these students end up missing their classes on specific days or even on specific days of their choice.

This goes hand in hand with the effect of class in attendance among many college students suffering from sleeping deprivation. In this respect, studies shows that college students suffering from sleeping deprivation perform poorly as compared to their counterparts who are living a normal live. Students suffering from this disorder are characterized with the inability to remember and to memorize what they have been taught in class (Unguren, 2010). In addition to this, college students suffering from this disorder are unable to synthesis information and above all some end up suffering from memory lapse. To this effect, such students end up failing to perform well in their class work as compared to other learners or students (Wesensten, 2012).

Research conducted shows that, students suffering from sleeping deprivation end up gaining a lot of weight. This is so because such learners have increased appetite and they end up having a desire of eating unhealthy food ( Joffe, 2003). Such students have increased ghrelin (hunger stimulating hormone) levels in their blood thus they end up eating a lot of foods with high levels of fats. In this respect, such students continuously eat foods such as chips, biscuits; they consume drinks with a lot of sugar among other food stuffs that are unhealthy. As a result of this, most of these college students suffering sleeping deprivation end up increasing their weight (Merriman, 39).

Basically, a number of ways have been identified and college students suffering from sleeping disorders can use them in addressing their problems. Some of these methods and strategies include the following.

Research shows that, one of the remedy to sleeping deprivation is coming up with a regular sleep time schedule by the person who is experiencing the disorder (Maas, 2012). In the case of college students who are suffering from this disorder, it will be necessary for them to ensure that before going to bed they allow their body to relax for 30 minutes to 60 minutes. In addition to this, one should ensure that he or she goes to bed at specific time every night and at the same time he or she should wake up at a specific time in the morning. Continues practice of this behavior will help in reducing the disorder thus enabling the student to recover fully at the long run (Kirszner, 2010).

It has been noted that lack of enough physical exercise makes one to be restless during bed time or at night thus depriving him or her enough sleep (Arden, 2013). Therefore, college students need to engage in regular physical exercises such as running, going to gym, playing football for 30 minutes among other physical exercises. By doing this, ones body gets relaxed through out the day thus giving enabling him or her to get enough sleep at night for an average of 6-8 hours (Panella, 2002).

Indeed the environment within the college and residential areas for college students to be favorable. In this respect, noise should be reduced to reduce in the places to enable these students to get enough sleep at night. In addition to this, temperatures and lights in these places of residence should be regulated because high temperatures make the environment unfavorable thus causing acute sleeping deprivation (Kirszner, 2013).

Alcohol and other stimulants such as caffeine have sedating effect on the person or individual that takes it. As a result of this effect, the body’s natural system is altered when one take alcohol and other stimulants. As a matter of fact, caffeine and other stimulants stay in the body system for more than 7 hours thus making an individual to be active all through this time. In this respect, college students should avoid alcohol consumption as well as taking of stimulants especially in the evening before they go to bed (Walters, 2013).

It is indeed evident that sleeping deprivation among college students in increasing thus there is need for all stakeholders to come up with policies to curb this disorder which is derailing learning in both private and public colleges. I therefore recommend that, college students should be educated and sensitized on the causes and the long term effects of sleeping deprivation. Secondly, I recommend that college students should be actively involved in all activities pertaining how time length for the assignments that they handle in order to enable them to budget their time well for them to avoid cases of being stressed up with school activities.

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