The Bizarre Condition of Sleep due to University Life by Kabbo and Ishraq

The Bizarre Condition of Sleep due to University Life 

 

Sleep is a state of reduced mental and physical activity in which consciousness is altered and sensory activity is inhibited to a certain extent. It is a fundamental physiological state.  

The duration of required sleep varies depending on the age of the person. An adult need at least 7-9 hours of sleep each day for him to be able to be properly functional.  

 

Students studying at BRAC University more often than not face the issue of not having proper sleep. This is due to the university duration 

can be as long as 8 am till 5 pm. Furthermore, there are students coming from distant places. Transportation can take a significant amount of time. Moreover, reaching home, there will be pending university home tasks a student needs to complete which is difficult considering how hectic a day can be. A student ends up being tired from attending all the classes throughout the day. Due to the student being fatigued, they lose the motivation to work and procrastinate to start his daily work and end up trying to complete their tasks at the last moment. As a result, the quality of the task degrades.  For such reasons, a student usually ends up sacrificing sleep for the sake of getting the task done. The next day, a student needs to wake up as early as 6 am to attend their morning classes. Consequently, they lose their precious sleeping time.  

 

Sleep plays a crucial role in maintaining mental coherence while sleep pattern is dependent on mental health conditions. Adequate sleep is essential to ensure emotional integrity. When we’re sound minded, we can think rationally, have a better control on our emotions and keep a clear head in stressful or challenging situations. Adequate sleep is essential to remain attentive and to maintain proper concentration.  

 

Besides a healthy diet and physical exercise, sleep is essential to gain peak physical condition. Numerous bodily processes are performed during sleep. These processes are influenced based on the quality and quantity of the sleep. To develop a healthy immune system, there is no alternative to adequate sleep. Proper sleep ensures physical recovery and growth while also guaranteeing optimal physical performance. During sleep, muscles are repaired, energy and endurance are restored.  

 

To be productive and to maintain quality, proper sleep is a must. A proper rest can enhance the cognitive functions such as attention, concentration, problem solving and decision making. A clear mind opens the door for efficient thinking and information processing. Better sleeping conditions can ensure better memorization and effective learning. This also helps to gather and remember new information. Moreover, proper sleep will ensure faster processing and reaction time which leads to responding to challenges and tasks accordingly. A fresh mind is a creative mind. So, adequate sleep plays a crucial role to a person’s creativity.  

 

Sleep deprivation can have a number of negative impacts on the body and mind. These effects may vary depending on the acuteness of sleep deprivation. A sleep deprived person may face difficulties in thinking, concentrating, and decision making. He may suffer from short term memory loss. His reflex actions may slow down too. Lack of sleep may lead to various mental illnesses such as an irritated mind, frequent mood swings, greater amount of stress and increased emotional sensitivity. A sleep deprived person often suffers from depression and anxiety. Sleep deprivation can take its toll on the immune system which makes a person more vulnerable to getting sick. Sleep deprivation drastically increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases and hypertension. Lack of sleep can often lead to losing balance. It may also decrease productivity and overall performance. Sleep deprivation often affects communication skills, leaving a person socially vulnerable.   

 

                            Fig. Participant Kabbo and Ishraq caught sleeping during class.  

 

Good sleep hygiene is essential to get quality sleep. This ensures overall well-being. Time management is the key to live a disciplined life and to ensure proper amount of sleep. A student should never procrastinate on his tasks. He should try to complete his studies at the university so that he can have plenty of time at home for recreation and to have a good amount of sleep. He should try avoiding staying up late at night no matter the cause. Maintaining a healthy diet and personal hygiene can greatly help in getting a good sleep. Staying happy and positive minded can ease the state of mind free of any tension which ensures peaceful sleep. 

 
Sleep is a significant part of life. A person spends approximately one-third of his life sleeping. So, ensuring adequate sleep is crucial to lead a healthy life. Students must keep this in their mind to make sure that they lead a healthy life while excelling in their academics. 

Authors: Kabbo Ishraq Ishat Khan