Sunday, December 14, 2003
Sleep deprivation leads to sickness, depression
As the semester ends and finals begin, students are working more and sleeping less.
Most studies recommend eight hours of sleep as a healthy amount, meaning students are racking up huge sleep deficits this time of year.
UVic student Chelsea Henschel averaged 4.5 hours of sleep per night because of a full schedule which forced her to begin her homework at 10 p.m. almost every evening. "I made myself stay up late just to finish my homework," she said.
As a result Henschel, fell sick and became mentally exhausted.
Henschel's story is not unique among student populations. Dr. William Dyson, director of UVic Health Services, points out that some of these problems stem from student living environments that are "not always conducive to sleep."
According to Dr. Dyson and Health Services head nurse Donna Denman, it is important when students plan their course and work schedule to also account for socializing. She adds students should also realize they need to plan time for being sick.
A sleeping disturbance is best cured with a good night's sleep, not self-medication, according to UVic Health Services.
Chronic insomnia can lead to psychiatric side effects including depression, anxiety and paranoia. "Depression is the most serious and most common illness resulting from sleep deprivation. Anxiety attacks may become frequent occurrences and paranoid thoughts include believing things are worse than they actually are or that people are against that individual," said Dyson.
But insomnia does not always show itself in such extreme forms. Students may simply find themselves suffering from an extended cold or having difficulty concentrating in class.
Some students are self-medicating to ward off sleeping disorders but according to Dr. Dyson, this is not the best method to cure insomnia.
"Sometimes one good night of sleep can correct a sleeping disturbance, and in that case a doctor may prescribe a mild relaxant, but the best solution lays in sorting out your lifestyle," said Dyson.
Another short-term method of relief is massage therapy, which is becoming more popular because it produces relaxation without medication.
:: excerpts from the Martlet vol. 56 issue 16
by Andrea Spina
photograph by Danielle Pelletier ::
As the semester ends and finals begin, students are working more and sleeping less.
Most studies recommend eight hours of sleep as a healthy amount, meaning students are racking up huge sleep deficits this time of year.
UVic student Chelsea Henschel averaged 4.5 hours of sleep per night because of a full schedule which forced her to begin her homework at 10 p.m. almost every evening. "I made myself stay up late just to finish my homework," she said.
As a result Henschel, fell sick and became mentally exhausted.
Henschel's story is not unique among student populations. Dr. William Dyson, director of UVic Health Services, points out that some of these problems stem from student living environments that are "not always conducive to sleep."
According to Dr. Dyson and Health Services head nurse Donna Denman, it is important when students plan their course and work schedule to also account for socializing. She adds students should also realize they need to plan time for being sick.
A sleeping disturbance is best cured with a good night's sleep, not self-medication, according to UVic Health Services.
Chronic insomnia can lead to psychiatric side effects including depression, anxiety and paranoia. "Depression is the most serious and most common illness resulting from sleep deprivation. Anxiety attacks may become frequent occurrences and paranoid thoughts include believing things are worse than they actually are or that people are against that individual," said Dyson.
But insomnia does not always show itself in such extreme forms. Students may simply find themselves suffering from an extended cold or having difficulty concentrating in class.
Some students are self-medicating to ward off sleeping disorders but according to Dr. Dyson, this is not the best method to cure insomnia.
"Sometimes one good night of sleep can correct a sleeping disturbance, and in that case a doctor may prescribe a mild relaxant, but the best solution lays in sorting out your lifestyle," said Dyson.
Another short-term method of relief is massage therapy, which is becoming more popular because it produces relaxation without medication.
:: excerpts from the Martlet vol. 56 issue 16
by Andrea Spina
photograph by Danielle Pelletier ::
