With different types of pressure like academic, personal, and emotional piling up from all sides, college students are suffering from sleep deprivation. Some are either getting less sleep and some are not being able to sleep at all. We wanted to get all the information necessary to treat sleep deprivation in college students. So, we started digging deeper (as we always do to help the students and parents) into the subject. This article talks about the symptoms, reasons, and cures for insomnia in college students. 

Common Reasons for Sleep Deprivation in College Students

There can be a variety of reasons for sleep deprivation in college students. Here are some of the common ones:

1. Stress

The stress of not being able to adjust to college life. This can be due to the social and academic demands of college life. Also, there can be pressure to meet the expectations of parents and teachers. So, the stress from all sides grips the college students and makes it difficult for them to sleep.

2. Change of Environment

The sudden change of places and lifestyle can also lead to insomnia. Students living in a dorm or campus may find it difficult to get sleep due to many different things. Noisy surroundings and loud music are some common reasons. 

3. Excessive Study Hours

Many students who are studying medical or other difficult fields need extra hours to prepare for their exams. These students prefer to study for long hours at night. So, they hardly get any time to get restful sleep.

4. Sudden Freedom

Many students become overwhelmed with the freedom of being away from home. With no one asking them to sleep early or use time properly, they spend a long time on social media. Also, people in video games play games day and night. All in all, they start seeing sleeping as a waste of time even though they feel exhausted at times. This gradually becomes a deadly habit of not sleeping for many nights or sleeping for very little time.

5. Excessive Use of Drugs or Alcohol

Sleep deprivation in college students can be the result of excessive use of drugs and alcohol. Many a time, their habit of reckless partying now and then causes insomnia. Also, too much use of caffeine can be a barrier to sound sleep in anyone. 

6. Medical Conditions

Symptoms for Insomnia or Sleep Deprivation in College Students

Symptoms of sleep deprivation in college students may vary from person to person. Some students may sleep very less, like less than 3 hours a day. Also, many college students may sleep in between a class or a gathering. There are signs like not being able to wake up in the morning or struggling to be fresh and awake all the time. Besides, there are times when students can feel sick and weak throughout the week. Some students may experience severe headaches and even find themselves depending on caffeine to beat that.

Cures of Insomnia in College Students

You need to understand the importance of restful sleep for college students. Without proper rest, they can not think or act rationally and actively. This will result in poor academic performances. Also, it can ruin relationships and damage one’s health. So, it is very important to find cures for insomnia for college students.

Tips to Treat Sleep Deprivation 

• Regular exercise can help to treat sleep deprivation in college students.
• Do not have caffeine or alcohol 4 to 6 hours before sleeping.
• To have a sound sleep for 7 to 8 hours, try going to sleep early.
• Try relaxing your muscles while trying to sleep. A Simple method to do this is to focus on each part of your body starting from toes to head. Make the muscles tense on each part first and then relax them.
• Try reading a book before sleeping.
• Avoid eating stomach-full before going to bed.
• Try going to bed and waking up at the same time every day. Practice this at least for 21 days to make it a habit.
• Many students try having warm milk or chamomile tea before sleeping.
• White noise can even help one to have a sound sleep. So, use white noise like the sound of the fan or something else. You can get many apps and devices that can help you with this.
• One of the best cures for insomnia is living a healthy lifestyle. A disciplined life with a proper diet can help you to relax your mind and keep you stress-free.
• Maintain a routine for all the activities in your daily life. This way, you will never have to struggle with balancing your college life. Also, make goals and add mini-steps to achieve those.
• Having a warm bath before sleeping even helps in treating sleeplessness.
• If sleep deprivation in college students seems to be severe, then they have to get professional help. If nothing seems to cure the sleep problems and the students keep on struggling to fall asleep or get restful sleep, they must not waste any more time and seek medical help.

College life is the transition period for college students from adolescence to adulthood. The changes come with a lot of challenges. Some students handle them well, and some keep on struggling throughout their college years. So, sleep deprivation in college students is common. But they should not ignore this problem or take it mildly. They must find help or cures for insomnia or daytime sleepiness once they start suffering from any of these. Even parents and teachers need to pay proper attention to the sleeping patterns of the students. They must understand that sound sleep for college students is as necessary as water, food, or air.