Better sleep habits improve education: Study

University of Cincinnati research finds that college students could be undermining their own education, simply because they’re not practicing proper sleep habits. The study, led by Adam Knowlden, a UC doctoral student in UC’s Health Promotion and Education Program, holds recommendations for students to form better sleep habits that will ultimately enhance their learning.

The study evaluated the sleep habits of nearly 200 undergraduate college students between the ages of 18 and 24 who were not living with a parent or legal guardian. The study included 130 females and 67 males who were mostly first and second year college students. The majority of them worked either full or part-time jobs as they were going to college.

The study surveyed student sleeping habits over 24 hour period. As per the study, only 24 percent

of the students who were surveyed reported getting adequate sleep of about 7 to 8 hours.

“Sleep helps us save energy. It repairs cells in the body. And it’s key for memory consolidation,” Knowlden explains. “During sleep, the brain acts like a hard-drive on a computer. It goes in and cleans up memories and makes connections stronger, and gets rid of things it doesn’t need. So if a student is sleep-deprived, it affects the whole process,” Knowlden says.

“Students are unable to learn and remember, it’s harder to concentrate and it affects mood. They’re working their way through college and they’re not maximizing their learning potential,” he says.

Knowlden adds that the health term for setting up proper sleep habits involves proper planning for a good night’s sleep.

What to Avoid??

Caffeine, alcohol and nicotine within one hour of bedtime

Intense exercise within one hour of bedtime

Going to bed and getting up at different times

Long naps – a 15 minute “power nap” is enough

Internet social networking and games before bedtime

Studying, reading, eating or watching TV in bed as part of the bedtime routine

Too much light and noise in the bedroom