This week, a University of Minnesota study presented data showing a direct link between health-related behaviors and grades. No surprise to us here at Select Comfort that they found a lack of sleep is taking its toll on college students’ academic performance. (Probably a good explanation on why it was hard for me to remember anything a week after cramming for an exam when I was in college.) But enough about me…
About 24,000 students from 14 Minnesota colleges and universities were randomly selected to participate in this study and 9,931 completed the 2007 College Student Health Survey Report.
To view a video about the study, click here .
In the results, 22% of students reported that sleep difficulties impacted their academics. In fact, those students who reported getting fewer nights of adequate sleep had a mean GPA of 3.08 compared with a 3.27 mean GPA for those who do not report sleep deficiencies.
College students aren’t alone. High schoolers suffer too. Select Comfort’s Director of Sleep Innovation and Clinical Research, Pete Bils, shares these startling stats about high school students from the National Sleep Foundation’s annual Sleep in America poll:
- More than 25% fall asleep in school
- Insufficient sleepers get lower grades than their peers
- 22% fall asleep doing homework
- More than 50% have driven drowsy during the past year
“The more days students get adequate sleep — the better GPAs they attain,” a U of M expert said. “There is a direct link between the two.”
View a copy of the University of Minnesota study.
Did you or have you ever fallen asleep in school? Do you see your kids suffering from this? What lifestyle factors do you think play into sleep deprivation most for college students? Write me a comment here. Would love to start some dialogue around this topic.
One Comment
During my last few years of college I survived by drinking a pot of coffee a day and getting 5 hrs of sleep. And although I ended up with a pretty good GPA, I KNOW that my lack-of-sleep impacted my academics and my job – not to mention my overall mood.
Knowing what I know now about sleep, I’ve vowed to NEVER do that to my body again.
College students and busy professionals tend to think alike about the amount of sleep they need during the week. “I’ll make up for it on the weekends,” they think. This mentality almost makes it worse because not only are you not getting enough sleep, you’re manipulating your sleep schedule and giving yourself Jet lag without even going anywhere.
Sleep often, sleep regular, sleep enough and sleep well!