Preview - Sleep

College students quickly learn the importance of prioritizing the essentials – studying, eating, being social. However, many students forget to put sleep at the top of that list. Although sleep has been proven to be essential to one’s success, many students often sacrifice sleep for other responsibilities. Sarah Dwyer, a freshman at Michigan State University, said she drinks coffee throughout the day and even at night because her body needs the caffeine to function. Drinking caffeine and eating sugar before bed are two sure ways to inhibit sleep, according to Dr. Tony Colucci, the team physician for the Detroit Red Wings. Colucci also said that blue light, which is emitted by electronic screens, prevents restful sleep. This is a big problem for freshman Emily Burrell, who said she stays up late watching Netflix and browsing her phone. Students especially have a hard time shutting down their brains at night – especially after staying up late to cram for an exam. Colucci said that, in the grand scheme of things, it is more beneficial for a student to stop studying earlier and get optimal sleep, as the brain stops retaining information when sleep-deprived. At MSU, in 2014, more than 50 percent of students reported feeling the effects of lack of sleep.