Often, after a morning class, students feel so drained that they lose all motivation to study or complete assignments; hang out with friends; or attend extracurricular events for the remainder of the day.

Junior Guinevere Wilkens, who is currently majoring in biology, said that she rarely makes it to any of her 8 a.m. classes because of how repulsive she feels when getting up.

“I’ll wake up and feel physically drained and almost sick,” said Wilkens. “I have problems with sleeping and I don’t get to sleep until 5 a.m., and by that time, it’s basically time to get up.”

Sleep deprivation can increase a person’s risk of depression and anxiety, according to a 2018 Binghamton University study. Researchers have discovered that sleep restriction can cause people to have negative thoughts get stuck in their heads, leaving them more vulnerable to various psychological disorders, including anxiety and depression.

Anxiety and depression can cause college students to not attend class, isolate themselves from peers, not study or do homework and skip out on extracurricular activities.

Poor sleep quality also affects students’ academic performance. A 2016 DePauw University study showed that students in early morning sections earned lower grades than students in sections of the same course offered later in the day. Grades were especially low for 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. classes.

Inadequate sleep can cause students to have their judgment impaired, resulting in bad choices and being easily swayed by peer pressure due to how easily frustrated they can become when they’re tired. This can result in all kinds of problems, which then directly affect a student’s GPA.

A 2017 study published in “Frontiers in Human Neuroscience” found that starting a six-hour working day around 10 or 11 a.m. improves most college students’ sleep, health and performance. Therefore, why don’t the first classes of the day start then?

Young adults, defined as individuals between 18 and 25 years old, should get seven to nine hours of sleep every night, according to the National Sleep Foundation. However, most college students typically get six to 6.9 hours of sleep per night, according to the University Health Center at the University of Georgia.

Dr. Joshua Felver, assistant professor of psychology at Syracuse University and a licensed psychologist in New York, says that the amount of sub-optimal sleep an individual gets corresponds to the degree in which that person suffers from health problems.

“Early morning classes aren’t necessarily the problem. It’s that they aren’t getting enough sleep, which is a broader question about sleep hygiene and having a bedtime that allows for the amount of sleep your body needs,” said Felver.

Going to bed at a reasonable time is much easier said than done. Between academics, work and extracurriculars, college students must choose between having a social life, getting enough sleep and obtaining good grades. It’s not possible to do everything. Instead, students must prioritize what activities they deem most important, which, unfortunately, often isn’t an adequate amount of sleep.

Dr. Zafer Soultan, a Syracuse doctor affiliated with Crouse and Upstate University Hospitals who specializes in respiratory and sleep medicine, recommends developing some sort of bedtime routine.

“Teach your brain when you are about to go to bed by doing some type of activity,” said Soultan. “Whether it is taking a shower, reading a book, wearing pajamas and brushing teeth, do those routines at the same time every day.”

However, the likelihood of students successfully following these suggestions are slim due to many of them having a demanding lifestyle, which may include challenging academic and work schedules.

Sleep restriction causes a variety of health issues. Shorter sleep duration can cause a weakened immune system, hindering peoples’ ability to fight off infections. Hence, sleep deprivation makes people become more prone to getting sick.

And, since missing one class can be equivalent to missing almost a whole week of high school, and some professors have strict attendance policies, skipping class is often not an option. This creates more stress for students, making it more strenuous for students to seek medical help away from home.

Colleges are responsible for taking care of their students’ well-being to make sure they are happy and healthy. Yet lack of sleep and poor sleep quality are prevalent among college students, affecting their health and peak academic performance. Knowing this, colleges should eliminate 8 a.m. classes or give students the option to take the same class later in the day. Early morning classes are only an obstacle for students being able to thrive.

Jenna Wirth is a sophomore studying magazine journalism. Her column appears bi-weekly. She can be reached at jwirth@syr.edu. She can be followed on Twitter at @jenna__wirth.

Published on January 12, 2020 at 9:38 pm