The Impact of Sleep Deprivation to Students’ Mental Health

The Impact of Sleep Deprivation to Students’ Mental Health

Livara, Krizelle Anne R.

krizellelivara@gmail.com

Bachelor of Science in Accountancy

1st Semester

December 6, 2019

Bachelor of Science in Accountancy

 The Impact of Sleep Deprivation to Students’ Mental Health

Topic:

This paper analyses one of the most common challenges to students’ mental health which

is sleep deprivation. Throughout the course of this paper, it will examine the causes of why sleep

deprivation occurs amidst students and how it will affect their mental health. This paper will also

provide possible solutions that can be used to prevent students from suffering sleep deprivation.

This paper aims to provide awareness on the reality of sleep deprivation.

Purpose/Introduction:

Sleep plays an important role on a person’s daily routine. People are spending most of their

time doing it. Having enough quality sleep at the right times is crucial to survival as it is as vital

to a body just as food and water. An individual will not be able to maintain the pathways in their

mind that will let them learn and make fresh memories, and it will be harder for people to focus

and respond quickly if they don’t get enough sleep. The purpose of this paper is to provide the

readers about the on-going problem of sleep deprivation amidst students. Sleep deprivation is

common among students because they usually go to sleep late doing school works and wake

up for classes before adequate sleep is attained. Students have been working, studying, and

playing for longer hours than ever before which results to sleep deprivation and eventually

to the development of significant problems and whether or not may result to mental health

conflicts.

What are the causes of sleep deprivation among students?

There are various factors that cause an individual to get insufficient sleep and result to sleep

deprivation. A lot of people consider sleep as a wasting of time and purposely deprive themselves

of it in pursuit of other things like entertainment, money and more. While some may not be getting
Bachelor of Science in Accountancy
 The Impact of Sleep Deprivation to Students’ Mental Health

enough sleep because of work, family obligations or demanding jobs. The pressures and

commitments where students must manage and do during school days are likely strong contributors

to the existence of sleep deprivation. Students are in danger for sleep deprivation primarily because

they don’t recognize how important sleep is. They view it as wasted time and purposely ignore the

need for sleep. As for students, the following are the causes of sleep deprivation: First, sleep has

become a low priority for students because school assignments, projects, and responsibilities are

highly demanding that it consumes most of their time. Involvement in extracurricular activities

like organizations, outdoor activities, sports and more also contributes to sleep deprivation.

Students suffer from sleep deprivation because of factors like hectic after-school schedules, leisure

activities and others. Hectic after-school schedules is a contributor to sleep deprivation because

homework, sports, part-time works or social commitments can cut into a student’s sleeping time.

This is common among students because in order for them to get good academic performance,

they feel the need to sacrifice sleep to finish their school works (BHC, 2018). Second, sleep

deprivation can arise from poor sleeping behaviours; instead of following a appropriate schedule

for sleep, a lot of students prefer to read, play, watch, or simply socialize. More factors are the

variety of environmental factors like the temperature of the room, loud noise, and bright light can

interrupt a student’s sleep at night. Third, physical disorders are also important factors to consider

as it also causes sleep deprivation. Illness and accompanying symptoms such as pain, headaches,

nausea, and shortness of breath often brings discomfort in sleeping. When a person is suffering

from these, it can result to them staying up all night. Forth, the usage of cigarettes and caffeine are

also common causes of sleep disruption in students. It can stimulate their nervous system and then

delay the onset of sleep which usually leads to them staying up all night (NHI, 2019).

Bachelor of Science in Accountancy

 The Impact of Sleep Deprivation to Students’ Mental Health

Most students don’t realize that their lifestyle has been a huge contributor as to why they

are experiencing sleep deprivation. They tend to overlook the signs and continue to ignore the

effects that it might contribute not only in their body but also in their mental health as well.

What are the effects of sleep deprivation to students’ mental health?

Sleep and mental health are connected. If a person is suffering from sleep deprivation, their

mental health is likely affected and at risk. The following are the effects of sleep deprivation to

students’ mental health: First, when a person doesn’t get enough sleep, it can deeply influence

their perspective on life, their energy level, motivation and emotions. It is common for students

who suffer from lack of sleep to be vulnerable to mental health issues like depression, stress, lower

optimism, anxiety, chronic fatigue and others. Studies shows that sleep problems happen both in

adults and children which directly result to the development of some psychiatric disorders.

Hershner and Chervin (2014) said that lack of sleep not only affects a person’s health, but it has

an immense impact on their mental health as well. When a person is sleep deprived, they’re less

eager and passionate, more short-tempered or even have some of the symptoms of depression like

feeling of sadness and emptiness. Sleep deprived people were unlikely to exercise, eat healthfully,

have sex and engage into leisure activities that those people who sleep well. This can have intense

effects on a student’s life, impacting their mental well-being, increasing their risk of depression,

anxiety and low self-esteem which will eventually affects their academic performance at school

(Wise, 2018). Second, lack of sleep can change a person’s mood. Irritability, anger and loss of

ability to cope up with stress can arise if you are suffering from sleep deprivation. It leads to

aggressive or inappropriate behaviours such as yelling at friends or family and being impatient

with everything. Third, lack of sleep can slow down a person’s thought process. It leads to poor

alertness and concentration. It causes an individual to have difficulty in focusing and paying
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 The Impact of Sleep Deprivation to Students’ Mental Health

attention; this hampers a person’s potential to perform and do tasks that require logical reasoning

(Peri, n,d).

Most people who are sleep deprived are not aware of the consequences that it takes on their

cognitive and mental health. Sleep deprivation affects our human brain and body, damaging our

cognition, motor ability, and mood. A person’s willpower, memory, judgment and attention are

possibly suffering. Sleep and mood affect each other. It is not impossible for people who lack sleep

to be depressed or anxious.

What are the possible solutions to sleep deprivation among students?

Sleep deprivation is a miserable experience. People can’t survive without sleep. A large

population of students are sleep deprived. They are getting regularly less sleep than what they need

every night. When students continue suffering from this problem, their learning and memory

suffer. Motor skill can be damaged and can leave you susceptible to physical illnesses and mental

health problems. The following are tips and possible solutions to sleep deprivation among students:

First, create a sleep sanctuary. This means, students should make their rooms cool, quiet, and dark.

They should try to avoid using the televisions, computers, phones before going to bed to avoid

distractions in their sleep. They can try restful activities like pleasure reading and meditation.

Drinking warm milk can also help them sleep soundly. Second, avoid drinking any drinks with

caffeine and alcohol. When caffeine reaches the brain, it could result to alertness. Drinking caffeine

are a common thing for students because this helps them to stay awake and feel less tired which

helps them finish their school works on time. But a lot of students don’t know that caffeine is a

stimulant and when drank in the evening, it stays in an individual’s system for hours and can make

it hard for a person to take a rest. Third, exercise regularly. Studies approve that people in good

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 The Impact of Sleep Deprivation to Students’ Mental Health

physical condition get to sleep quicker and better than those who do not. Students should try to fit

in between their busy schedules at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity like jogging,

walking, five to seven hours before their bedtime. Lastly, assess after-school commitments.

Common cause of sleep deprivation is having a tight and hectic schedules so assessing and

managing it properly will help set their priorities straight and help avoid clash of tasks

(Darthmouth, n.d). If a student is suffering from sleep deprivation, they can use these tips and

possible solutions effectively to improve their lifestyle.

Conclusion:

A quality sleep equates to a quality life. Sleep is a part of human health and life, and is

essential for learning, performance, and physical and mental health. Most students deprive

themselves of adequate sleep without knowing the disastrous consequences they might face. They

tend to overwork themselves in doing school works and activities which leads to sleep becoming

underrated. For a healthy life style, emphasis on establishing and maintaining regular sleeping

schedule, avoiding stimulants and activities that affects a person’s cognitive, emotional

engagement is a must. Most of the students should value sleep as it is an essential need for humans.

If sleep is taken for granted, this might lead to significant problems, and eventually issues

involving a student’s mental health.

No. of words: 1, 512

Bachelor of Science in Accountancy

 The Impact of Sleep Deprivation to Students’ Mental Health

Bibliography:

Better Health Channel (2018). Teenagers and sleep. Retrieved from

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Dartmouth (n,d). Improving Sleep. Academic Skills Center. Retrieved from

https://students.dartmouth.edu/academic-skills/learning-resources/improving-sleep

Hershner, S. D., & Chervin, R. D. (2014). Causes and consequences of sleepiness among college

students. Nature and science of sleep, 6, 73–84. doi:10.2147/NSS.S62907\

NIH. (2019). Sleep Deprivation and Deficiency. Retrieved from www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-

topics/sleep-deprivation-and-deficiency

Peri, C. (n,d). What lack of sleep does to your mind. WebMD. Retrieved from webmd.com/sleep-

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oKSnqwL-XKYE#1

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 The Impact of Sleep Deprivation to Students’ Mental Health

Wise, M. J. (2018). Naps and Sleep Deprivation: Why Academic Libraries Should Consider

Adding Nap Stations to Their Services for Students. New Review of Academic

Librarianship, vol. 24, no. 2, pp. 192–210. EBSCOhost,

doi:10.1080/13614533.2018.1431948.

Bachelor of Science in Accountancy