To sum it up, there are various factors pertaining to our health that are deeply affected by sleep deprivation, including the physical body and the mind. After analyzing the effects of sleep deprivation, it has been concluded that there is, in fact, a correlation between sleep and academic performance, which further proves that sleep deprivation causes a decrease in academic performance. According to a study, “students who obtained more sleep had higher GPAs than short sleepers,” which is no surprise given that those who sleep longer have all the advantages that sleep-deprived students lack (Hershner, Chervin). Unfortunately, “many students are themselves unaware that their academic difficulties may be related to their sleep habits” (Gilbert, Weaver), which is why it is so important to address the issue of sleep deprivation in college students and also elaborate on the effects that people typically would not consider, such as lack of concentration, ineffective memory retention, or to sum things up, a decrease in academic performance. Not only is it important to recognize the effects of sleep deprivation, but it is also important to discuss ways to avoid being sleep deprived. Granted, there is no magic potion you can take to instantly restore all of your energy and suddenly make you not deprived of sleep. However, there are ways to go about treating and preventing sleep deprivation.
Sleep Sometimes the answers to our questions are so obvious, we don't even take them into consideration. In this case, the answer to the question of how to treat sleep deprivation is in fact sleep. Sleep deprivation is a result of an insufficient amount of sleep. Therefore, by sleeping, you are restoring your body with energy for the next day, thus allowing you to have the motivation to take on numerous tasks throughout the day. Sleep is extremely important in maintaing your health. Therefore, it is much more worthwhile to sleep at a reasonable time at night rather than staying up late to do work.
Maintain a Solid Sleep Schedule It is important to maintain consistent with your routine because otherwise, your circadian rhythm (aka your "internal body clock") will be disrupted. The circadian rhythm is responsible for regulating our sleep-wake cycle, which pertains to when we sleep and wake up every day. A change in your sleep schedule - whether it be going to sleep late or waking up late - alters your circadian rhythm, which, in turn, causes symptoms, such as excessive fatigue (Ellis). Therefore, even if you got more than enough sleep, you can still feel tired the next day.
Manage Your Time and Priorities Time management skills do not come naturally; it takes time and experience to learn how to successfully be able to balance various commitments. By staying organized (such as using a planner/calendar) and setting your priorities straight, you will be more likely to accomplish tasks in a reasonable time frame. Moreover, instead of taking a two-hour nap, try finishing assingments in order to have more time to sleep at night.
Drink Caffeine (Not too much) It is well-known that caffeine helps keep you alert and awake throughout the day. In a biological aspect, caffeine binds to receptors of adenosine - a neutrotransmitter that causes drowsiness and prepares the body for sleep - thus, reducing the drowsiness (Brain et al.). Nevertheless, too much caffeine is not good for you either. Therefore, it is best to drink caffeine in the morning to keep you up for the rest of the day.