Columbia University Health Services

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Why Sleep?

• Promotes memory consolidation of what you study
• Affects processing speed so that you can learn faster
• Makes you feel refreshed and ready for work or exams
• Boosts immune health
• Helps maintain energy balance
• Improves athletic performance by enhancing motor skills
• Can help you to pay attention in class
• It’s a cheap, easy way to look and feel better!

Sleep has a ton of positive effects on health and well-being, but many college students report getting an average of only 6.9 hours of sleep per night. It’s necessary to develop good sleep habits in order to stay healthy and help your body and mind rest and recharge. Healthy sleep habits include getting the quantity and quality of sleep that you need, and here are some ‘ZZZ Tips’ to help get you started.

Sleep your way to better grades.

ZZZ Tip #1: A good night’s sleep will help you do your best!

• Catching your ZZZ’s is essential to help retain what you study and to keep you mentally sharp during exams. Depriving yourself of shut-eye impairs your memory, concentration, reaction time, and ability to process information. Avoid pulling all-nighters for exams and papers – a good night’s sleep will help you stay ahead of the curve.

Enhance your bedtime performance.

ZZZ Tip #2: Use your bed for sleeping, not studying.

• Think of your bed as your sanctuary, free of work and stress – it’s no fun to wake up drooling on your textbook! Establish your bed as a comfortable, relaxing place and find other spaces to study.

ZZZ Tip #3: Get to bed and greet the morning at the same time every day.

• Maintain a consistent sleeping schedule. Maximize the benefits of sleep by keeping your weekday and weekend routines similar – oversleeping can throw off your body’s natural rhythms.

ZZZ Tip #4: Having trouble falling asleep? Avoid caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, and strenuous exercise 2-3 hours before bedtime.

• Caffeine and nicotine are stimulants, and can keep you tossing and turning at night. Alcohol may help you doze off, but can prevent you from entering deeper, more restorative sleep stages. While regular exercise can improve your sleep, strenuous exercise too close to bedtime can also make sleeping difficult.

Sleep- Now that’s refreshing.

ZZZ Tip #5: Keep your naps short and sweet.

• Try to sleep enough at night—don’t depend on daily, long naps to get through the day! However, if you do need a nap, try limiting your siesta to 20-30 minutes. These power naps can improve alertness and performance without disrupting your nighttime sleep or making you feel groggy.

ZZZ Tip #6: Constantly fighting a cold? Sleep can help boost your immune system.

• Sleep deprivation decreases your immune response and can make you more susceptible to infections. Get your sleep every day to keep sickness far away!

ZZZ Tip #7:  To stay healthy and energetic, make sleep part of your fitness plan.

• Sleep affects hormones that control your appetite and regulate energy expenditure. Recent studies have shown that sleep loss can negatively affect your metabolism and make it difficult to maintain your energy balance. Consider sleep as important to your health as eating well and exercising.

Is sleep deprivation your competitive sport?

ZZZ Tip #8: Feeling pressured to stay up all night? Make sure you’re getting all the ZZZ’s you need.

• Everyone needs a different amount of sleep to feel alert and rested throughout the day. Try to encourage your friends to get the sleep they need rather than bragging about how late you can stay up. You’ll be less moody, less stressed, and on top of your game!

How much sleep should I get?
What are the long-term effects of sleep deprivation?
Problems Sleeping
Staying awake for days on end-unhealthy?
Can’t wake up in the winter. 

Alice! Health Promotion Program

Counseling and Psychological Services

Primary Care Medical Services (PCMS) provides comprehensive care for routine, urgent, and chronic medical needs for students. For more information, go to Making Appointments.

Columbia University Medical Center

Sleep Disorders Center
The Neurological Institute, 7th Floor
710 West 168th Street
New York, New York 10032
212.305.1742

National Sleep Foundation

American Academy of Sleep Medicine

NIH National Center on Sleep Disorders Research

Healthfinder.gov (Sleep)