2008 Woodie Awards
Surrender to sleep
John Sieglaff
Issue date: 12/7/06 Section: Opinions
College is a place where bedtimes don't exist, and even if they did exist, no one would be around to enforce them. Staying up late is often an attempt to fix something. If that isn't the purpose of the all-nighter, people would simply go to bed. Many times, students will forget or procrastinate when it comes to homework. They put work off until it is late into the night.
In trying to fix that unfinished paper, a whole other problem arises. When a student makes the important decision to replace sleep with undone homework, they aren't just giving up their night. They give up their entire sleep pattern.
Now, of course, it's ridiculous to say that by staying up one night and giving into no temptation of rest, you will ruin your chances of sleep on a permanent level. That is not at all what I mean. However, staying up all night is by no means an easy feat.
Usually, in order to stay up all night, people will have a motive unless they are used to the routine of all-nighters. Certain people, sometimes referred to as night owls, are into a routine or maybe get a second wind that others of us don't necessarily receive later in the night. There are also people with problems such as insomnia, where the lack of sleep is no choice-it's suffering.
Aside from these exceptions, a person on a normal sleep schedule needs solid motivation in order to make it through the entire night (such as homework assignments due the next day). This gives the challenger of sleep some strength and energy-some determination to stay out of bed.
Sleep deprivation is a terrible problem among college students especially. I think the worst part about sleep deprivation is that there is a certain thing about staying up all the way through the night. It evokes an emotion of triumph for those who last to see the sunrise. It is also a lifestyle that is easily habitual.
When you don't sleep, it's hard to remember things, your mind drifts frequently throughout the day, and you constantly want to go to sleep. But that's where some people find their pleasure, in fighting the heavy and increasing urge to fall asleep.
Get good sleep. Some people end up only needing four to five hours. Other people tend to lean more towards six to eight hours, but either way, sleep is important. As I think we all know, college students need their beauty sleep.
In trying to fix that unfinished paper, a whole other problem arises. When a student makes the important decision to replace sleep with undone homework, they aren't just giving up their night. They give up their entire sleep pattern.
Now, of course, it's ridiculous to say that by staying up one night and giving into no temptation of rest, you will ruin your chances of sleep on a permanent level. That is not at all what I mean. However, staying up all night is by no means an easy feat.
Usually, in order to stay up all night, people will have a motive unless they are used to the routine of all-nighters. Certain people, sometimes referred to as night owls, are into a routine or maybe get a second wind that others of us don't necessarily receive later in the night. There are also people with problems such as insomnia, where the lack of sleep is no choice-it's suffering.
Aside from these exceptions, a person on a normal sleep schedule needs solid motivation in order to make it through the entire night (such as homework assignments due the next day). This gives the challenger of sleep some strength and energy-some determination to stay out of bed.
Sleep deprivation is a terrible problem among college students especially. I think the worst part about sleep deprivation is that there is a certain thing about staying up all the way through the night. It evokes an emotion of triumph for those who last to see the sunrise. It is also a lifestyle that is easily habitual.
When you don't sleep, it's hard to remember things, your mind drifts frequently throughout the day, and you constantly want to go to sleep. But that's where some people find their pleasure, in fighting the heavy and increasing urge to fall asleep.
Get good sleep. Some people end up only needing four to five hours. Other people tend to lean more towards six to eight hours, but either way, sleep is important. As I think we all know, college students need their beauty sleep.
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