Ever heard of the phrase, “Sleep is where memories are formed?” Well that is because sleep is quite literally the memory-making machine. For many, college is an exciting and adventurous time of finding out who you are as an individual and becoming the person you’d like to be. College can be a time where some of the most fantastic memories are made… memories that one will want to remember and reminisce of in the future. Getting solid sleep throughout college is extremely important to hold on to those memorable times.

Nowadays, college students are becoming one of the most sleep-deprived populations. Whether it’s the heavy load of course work, sports, extracurricular activities, part-time jobs, or the very active social life, students are getting robbed of some essential shuteye. You probably have heard of the general importance of sleep many times before, but you may not know just how strongly inadequate sleep can impact the learning processes in the brain. According to the Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School, poor sleep affects all three processes involved in learning: acquisition, consolidation, and recall. This means that not getting a good night’s sleep (7-8 hours) can have a profound effect on the way the brain receives and stores information, stabilizing and makes memories, and retrieve information when necessary.

Pulling an all- nighter to study hard right before a test when you are in a rush may seem like a great idea at the time- but it actually does little to no help for the individual to actually learn something. Studies discussed by the Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School conclude that if students don’t get enough sleep, the ability to focus and recall old information is slowed. In fact, the brain will be even less likely to retain any information that was crammed into the brain the day and night before the all- nighter.

So, find a way to balance your time so that all- nighters can be avoided so that you can get the right amount of sleep you need to learn new information and retain memories. Remember that you deserve good sleep as a hard-working college student!

Helpful Hints for getting more sleep:

Recommended by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine

1. Go to bed early to get the recommended 7-8 hours of sleep.

2. Try doing something relaxing before bed if you are having trouble falling asleep.

3. Keep your naps less than an hour length and take them before 3pm not to disrupt your night sleep.

4. Wake up at the same time on weekends as during the week. Inconsistent sleep schedules may lead to sleepless nights.

5. Limit caffeine intake, especially in the afternoon and at nighttime so that it is easier to wind down in the evening.

6. Dim the lights in the evening (to let your body know it is time to sleep) and let in the sunlight in the morning (to promote alertness).

7. Eat light at night. It’s best to eat a light healthy snack before bedtime because a big meal right before bed will give your body excess energy and make it hard to fall asleep.

For more information or to see the facts, visit:

http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/need-sleep/whats-in-it-for-you/memory

http://www.aasmnet.org/articles.aspx?id=659