It was great to see that someone brought up sleep deprivation, especially in how it affects student performance. Not only because I can definitely relate to it, but because it is an ongoing, growing problem among teenagers and young adults.

There is no doubt we are aware that there is not enough time to get enough sleep. We know that the next day is terribly exhausting, how irritable we become, that there are long-term consequences and most of all, how easy it is to forget simple things after only a few hours without sleep. I have been known as one of those sleepless students (more specifically, the kind who certainly does not try to stay away from caffeine) and as such, I have people tell me about their sleep problems while others tell me to get some sleep.

It begins inadvertently: One school night, for whatever reason, a student will stay up later than usual, using up remaining energy in trying to stay alert and get things down on paper because the short-term memory has already been damaged. Distractions are everywhere, and daydreaming substitutes learning. By late afternoon, because there are so many things to catch up, or because the body gets used to getting less sleep more sleep, the story repeats.

Of course, everyone has different stories to tell, but not many can tell me how to put a stop to that vicious cycle.

The offered advice is perhaps more helpful than what most people have been able to provide, to me at least. I have had to keep a sleep diary before, and it definitely helps when prioritizing is the issue, but it did not change much.

While reasons for being unable to sleep can get very particular, keeping a sleep diary is a great way to increase awareness and concern for sleep.

The great thing about it is that once I kept that log, there was no “ok…now what?”

I, among dozens of students, was not aware of the free Sleep Education Clinics in the Student Health Center. The best part of it—aside from it being relatively free—is that we do need to stop seeking pills for everything, and avoid depending on sleeping aids.