Sleep problems are common in university students as they often stay up late completing assignments. In addition, this period of their lives can be stressful and stress can influence the amount of sleep a student gets. This is because high levels of stress can make it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep. Not having enough sleep on a regular basis triggers the body’s stress response system leading to an elevation in cortisol, which further disrupts sleep.
Additionally, student life can involve lots of social events from making new friends, joining societies, attending parties and drinking. This lifestyle can have a negative impact on your circadian rhythm, also known as your 'body clock' because the natural sleep routine is disrupted, meaning the physiological cycle that your body operates on is disturbed. This means that the rapid eye movement (REM) part of the sleep cycle – the deepest and most restorative part – is reduced.
A study conducted in 2022 with the purpose of gathering information on how much sleep university students from the UK got, found that 19% of students had an average sleep time of less than five hours per night. Additionally, 45% of the participants rated their sleep as bad.
Why is sleep important?
Numerous studies have found a positive correlation between sleep duration and school grades. Evidence has also found that poor sleep patterns are related to impaired academic life. This is likely because insufficient sleep decreases general alertness, impairs attention, and slows cognitive processing, which when combined could diminish an individual’s academic capabilities.Additionally, sleep is important because it can improve mental health and lower the risk of suffering with depression and anxiety as well as other physical risks such as diabetes and heart disease.
Depression and sleep problems are closely linked
People who are suffering with depression often find it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep at night. They also might experience periods of excessive daytime sleepiness. Sleep problems can also exacerbate and provoke depression. For example, individuals suffering with insomnia have a higher risk of developing depression compared with people who get a good night’s sleep. We are at risk of getting into a negative cycle in which we struggle to sleep because we're depressed, but the lack of sleep then makes us more likely to be and stay depressed.
While more research is needed to understand the mechanisms underlying the connection between sleep and mental health, we know that sleep is important as it helps to regulate emotions and behaviours. Studies show people who are sleep deprived report increases in negative moods such as anger, frustration, irritability and sadness as well as a decrease in positive moods. Insufficient sleep can make it more difficult to cope with relatively minor stressors such as exams or deadlines and it can also impact our ability to perceive the world accurately.
Well known behavioural lifestyle factors that impact sleep are:
The sleep issues associated with cigarette smoking are largely attributed to nicotine, the main ingredient in tobacco products, however, some individuals claim smoking makes them sleepy due to the nicotine relieving their anxiety and inducing relaxation. Nonetheless, nicotine is a stimulant that keeps people alert and awake and is thought to be responsible for insomnia and other potential sleep problems associated with smoking.
While more research is needed to understand the mechanisms underlying the connection between sleep and mental health, we know that sleep is important as it helps to regulate emotions and behaviours. Studies show people who are sleep deprived report increases in negative moods such as anger, frustration, irritability and sadness as well as a decrease in positive moods. Insufficient sleep can make it more difficult to cope with relatively minor stressors such as exams or deadlines and it can also impact our ability to perceive the world accurately.
Well known behavioural lifestyle factors that impact sleep are:
- Cigarette smoking
- Heavy drinking
- Physical inactivity
- Excessive internet usage
The sleep issues associated with cigarette smoking are largely attributed to nicotine, the main ingredient in tobacco products, however, some individuals claim smoking makes them sleepy due to the nicotine relieving their anxiety and inducing relaxation. Nonetheless, nicotine is a stimulant that keeps people alert and awake and is thought to be responsible for insomnia and other potential sleep problems associated with smoking.
Strategies to improve sleep
Some strategies to help improve your quality and duration of sleep include:- Being consistent with your sleep schedule and sticking to a routine. For example, having a specific time you go to bed at and wake up at each morning can allow your body to get into a sleep rhythm which is more likely to benefit you in the long run.
- Disciplining yourself by switching off mobile phones and electronic devices an hour before bed. This can improve sleep as it allows your mind to wind down better. This is because the bright light from electronic devices can affect your body clock and can cause difficulty drifting off. The production of melatonin, a hormone produced by the body, is initiated by the pineal gland in response to darkness. This in turn, makes you tired. Exposure to bright lights or screens slows down the production of the melatonin hormone which may be one of the reasons you struggle to fall asleep. Inserting a book into your nighttime routine instead of watching TV can improve sleep quality and reduce stress massively.
- Including physical activity in your daily routine. This has numerous physical and mental health benefits such as improving cognitive function and mood. Another huge benefit is it can help regulate your sleep pattern, increase sleep quality, and decrease sleep onset (the time it takes to fall asleep).
- Combining physical activity and limiting screen time. This can be particularly helpful when studying. For example, it is important to have regular study breaks away from a computer, book, or phone – going for a short walk is a good option. The fresh air and exercise can boost motivation and refresh your mind making it easier to come straight back in and pick up where you left off.
Some other benefits of sleep
Some other benefits of having enough sleep at night include being able to manage weight better, being sick less often, being able to think more clearly and generally getting along better with people.It is evident how vast and diverse the benefits of getting a good night’s sleep are, from reducing stress, improving mental health, to promoting cardiac health and restoring the body’s energy levels. Some easy tips, as mentioned before, to experience a better sleep involve limiting your alcohol consumption, engaging in more physical activity and finally limiting the amount of bright lights or screen usage before bed.
Further information
- For more about this topic and more tips, read our booklet: 'Sleep Better, Feel Better – The Connection Between Sleep And Mental Health'. Download our free pdf here >
- Noland, H., Price, J.H., Dake, J. and Telljohann, S.K. (2009), Adolescents’ Sleep Behaviors and Perceptions of Sleep. Journal of School Health, 79: 224-230. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1746-1561.2009.00402.x
- https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/9eaqr/
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322994https://www.sleepfoundation.org/circadian-rhythm
- https://www.sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/why-do-we-need-sleep#:~:text=Why%20Do%20We%20Need%20Sleep%3F%201%20Sleep%20is,at%20least%207%20hours%20per%20night.%20More%20items
- Angela Gomez Fonseca, Lisa Genzel, Sleep and academic performance: considering amount, quality and timing, Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, Volume 33, 2020, Pages 65-71, ISSN 2352-1546, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cobeha.2019.12.008.
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352154619301391
- https://www.sleepfoundation.org/mental-health/depression-and-sleep
- https://blog.lucy.co/how-nicotine-affects-sleep/
- https://www.sleepfoundation.org/melatonin
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