News

Adequate Sleep: Students' Mounting Deficit

by Gary James '10
09/28/06

Wabash men put their minds and body through physical torture for academics, extra-curricular activities and pledgeships. That torture – as defined by the Geneva Convention – is sleep deprivation.

Wabash has many characteristics setting it apart from other institutions, but when it comes to sleeping - Wabash men are just like everyone else. Sleep is often an endangered commodity.

The average college student sleeps for about six hours per night, according to the McKinley Health Center at the University of Illinois. Experts, including one Wabash graduate and local doctor, warn sleep deprivation can be at the root of a myriad of health problems.

Interviews with Wabash students have yielded similar results. The average Wally reported receiving 6-7 hours of sleep per weeknight. Not that bad, right?

Wrong.

That six-to-seven hours is an average weighted to upperclassmen. While upperclassmen have learned time management skills and how to get adequate sleep, freshmen are still dealing with all the same issues - plus pledgeship.

According to James Clack, director of Counseling and Psychological Services at Duke University, the latest research shows college-age people should be getting nine hours of sleep a night.

"Academics take up most of my time," said Kurtis Hess `10, College Hall, who gets about six hours of sleep on weeknights. "An average day of homework takes me about six hours."

Social and extracurricular activities also play crucial roles in sleep patterns. Most students reported social activities (hanging out, chatting, etc.) held a moderate influence over their sleep.

Drew Howk `08, Sigma Chi, gets about six hours of sleep on an average night and adjusts his social time with his class schedule and workload. "Most of my sleep during the week is a result of academic commitments. I must get up earlier to go to class than I would normally wake up," Howk said. "Days without class in the morning the next day, I'll devote at least eight hours to social. But days when I need to hammer out homework, probably more like four."

While extracurricular activities held a moderate influence over the way all Wabash students sleep, some students still manage a good night’s sleep while others are starving for pillow time. Joe Matthew Gonzalez `10, Kappa Sigma, is not only a student, but also a pledge, a wrestler, and a guard in Hays Hall. Even though Gonzalez sleeps 7.5 hours a night, he still finds it difficult to stay awake at times, and he considers himself sleep deprived.

"It’s difficult to juggle everything," says Gonzalez. "My sport requires you to drop weight and that can affect you mentally and physically. I take any opportunity to chip away at the daily workload. Find a weekend and design it to get ahead for the following week. Luckily, my job gives me the flexibility to do my assignments."

Not all freshmen pledges have that flexibility. A substantial number of pledges reported getting only about 3- 4 hours of sleep. They want the fraternity experience but the burden of academics, extra-curricular activities and pledgeship leave them struggling because of a lack of sleep. The Bachelor has elected not to identify some of those freshmen at their request.

While the bulls eye may be on fraternities when it comes to sleep deprivation, one fraternity president notes pledges must also take care of themselves. According to Phi Kappa Psi President John Meara `07, his fraternity encourages responsibility.

"It is not my responsibility to hold their hands and make sure they are sleeping," Meara said. "However, it is my responsibility to make sure that what the brotherhood of my house ask of them does not impede on the necessity of sleeping. They need to practice and exercise time management. Realize that if you join a fraternity your (personal) time is required. So cut that out of Facebook time, or TV time, not sleep or academic pursuits."

Other fraternities, including Tau Kappa Epsilon, Beta Theta Pi and Theta Delta Chi and others, reported specific internal structures designed to promote a sleep-friendly house.

Beta Theta Pi President Josh Owens `07 said his house has a plan that’s freshman friendly. "We schedule nothing after 11:00 p.m. and nothing before 8:00am." Tau Kappa Epsilon has no pledge activities after 11:00 p.m. either.

Kappa Sigma and Theta Delta Chi have a 1:00 a.m. lights out policy, excused only with special permission.

Wabash faculty doesn’t offer excuses for freshmen, but most understand fall pledgeship takes its toll.

"I've noticed a fair amount of over-tiredness in my Freshmen Tutorial, and a few students have either missed a class or not finished readings now and then because they ran out of time and energy," History Professor Stephen Morillo said. "I think generally some of the demands placed on freshmen, especially by pledgeship, are pretty onerous, especially for students who are having to learn new ways of studying and time management."

Political Science Professor David Hadley echoes these concerns: "Freshmen staying awake in class during the first semester is a perennial, persistent problem that usually peaks during homecoming week, during midterm week, and Monon Bell week," David Hadley added. "I have seen fewer problems so far this semester, but we haven't had homecoming yet. I'm hopeful that the revisions to Chapel Sing will help a bit this year, but I'm not particularly optimistic."

"I'm sure the problem comes from a combination of factors. Upperclassmen in fraternities committed to carrying on tradition, not wanting to make it easier on pledges than it was for them; freshmen being on their own for the first time and not knowing how to manage their time, and we faculty meeting throughout the summer to coordinate our schedules so all tests and papers come due in the same week. Personally, I try to deal with the problem of freshmen sleeping in my class by waiting until the largest number of them has nodded off to make the really important points that will be covered on the next exam."

Stephen Webb, Religion Department, has a slightly different view perspective.

"I've not noticed anything dramatic," he explained. "It is typical of first year students at any college to push the boundaries of sleep deprivation. Learning your limits is part of what it means to become a man."

Some Wabash students have learned their limits. Joel Herker `10, College Hall, knows what works for him. He gets about eight hours of sleep on weekdays he divides in the evening and early morning, and social activities don’t have significant influence over his sleep.

Jeremy Burton `08, Martindale, understands his boundaries. "I am not sleep deprived because my philosophy is that if you can’t get it done by midnight, you shouldn’t get it done at all."

Not all Wabash students know their limits or professors wouldn’t have concerns. And if students do find their boundaries, will it lead to different behavior? And in the meantime, what are the consequences?

"I see the effects of sleep deprivation in all areas of my practice," said Health Services Physician and Wabash Alumnus Dr. John Roberts `83. "There are numerous studies out there that show the body's immune system is depressed in folks that don't get enough rest. College students should be getting at least eight hours a night.

"Sleeping in until noon or later on weekends really confuses your brain's biological clock when you get up earlier on weekdays. We also see this frequently in shift workers - the brain is just not able to adjust to varying amounts of sleep very well."

Roberts explained sleeping in on the weekend confuses the biological clock of even those who sleep seven hours during the week.

Even so, we live in an age of 24-news cycles and late night fast food. Adjusting to college life – its freedoms and its demands – within such a context can be difficult. Add athletics, a job, or pledgeship into the equation and the necessity for prioritizing one’s time becomes all too apparent.

Victor Nava ’10 also contributed to this story.

Alumni