A Good Night’s Sleep

Who wants to sleep? Instead of sleeping, you could be studying for that big test or that English essay that is due next week. In fact, you will be more productive if you take a break, sleep, and resume. Sleep and academic performance go hand in hand. The more sleep the better academic progress you will have. It's that simple.

Here are a few ways sleep improves your academic performance: Improves memory, sharpens attention, boosts concentration, makes one more creative, and a direct correlation to better grades. A recent study amongst college students shows that every day per week with a sleep disturbance causes a 0.02 decrease in GPA. That number may seem minuscule but adding up each day of bad sleep decreases your grades. A 2001 study shows that students that slept for more than 9 hours per day had a substantial increase in GPA compared to peers who slept for less than 6 hours.

You may wonder, how many hours should I sleep? According to the CDC, students between the ages of 6-12 need 9-12 hours of sleep, while teenagers need 8-10

hours. This is a rough guide for students to follow, but the more sleep the better.

But, I sleep for longer over the weekend!!! That has got to make up and count for time over the week! That is a big NO! Having a regular sleep pattern is almost as important as the amount of sleep you have per week. Sleeping at the same time every day and gaining the required amount of sleep is the best way to maximize your potential. Studies prove that a regular sleep pattern also correlates to an increase in GPA.

Sleep longer and at a regular schedule and reap the academic rewards.