Sleep plays a big role in a person’s life. According to the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, sleep is one of the most important parts of a person’s 24-hour cycle. The effects of sleep deprivation may not be noticeable at first until they become bigger and bigger and potentially create devastating damage on ourselves, starting with poor decision-making and eventually the need for medical help. These results pile up as kind of “snowball effect.” For university students, this could lead to worse grades and lower concentration, which can seriously affect life patterns. Thus, students from Korea University (KU) are invited to share their experiences on how sleep plays an important role in their university lives.

GT: What causes you to be sleep deprived?

Uhlemann Annabelle (21’, Division of International Studies): I assume this is the answer that most students would give, but: assignments and exams. It is not even simply the lack of time during exam season, but also the fact that once you are in the middle of writing an essay or studying about a topic and you reach a certain flow state, it is hard to interrupt that. This is because you know that it if you stop now, it will take time to first warm up with the topic again when you pick it up the next day.

Shin Nagyeong (21’, Chemical and Biological Engineering): Usually, an irregular schedule is a critical reason for my sleep deprivation. Since school just started, my body is still adjusting to the new schedule. However, during the exam period, I stay up late to study and do better on exams. I have seen studies showing that students who sleep before the tests do better than those who do not. However, I still feel the need to stay up late and study the night before the tests because it shows an immediate effect.

GT: How does sleep affect your life as a university student, or just a young adult in his/her early 20s?

Kim Seohyun (20’, Spanish Language and Literature): Sleep plays a big part of my life and it is my second most favorite hobby. When I do not get enough sleep, doing most activities seems difficult as the lack of sleep affects my thought process and mood from my day-to-day life. Furthermore, I seem to have days that range from bad to average, meaning that getting through the day is hard. However, when I get a good night of sleep, my days are usually brighter and more entertaining, no matter the circumstances. I really think that it plays an essential role in every college student’s life.

Nagyeong: If I do not get enough sleep, my stress level increases, and I feel more pressure at work or even when I am building relationships with other people. Additionally, I can feel that my body and health are not in the best condition since I stay tired for the whole day. Lack of sleep also affects my academic performance since it affects my memory and ability to focus. As a young adult and a university student, I try to participate in as many groups and programs as possible, but if I do not get enough sleep, I cannot do my best in those programs.

Annabelle: Having just finished my first year at KU, classes have not been that demanding so far and, luckily, I have mostly been able to get the seven or eight hours of sleep I need per day. I am someone who needs a good night of sleep to function well in the long-term, so I think I will have to figure out some ways to manage my time efficiently if I want to continue making sure I get enough rest. It is already a challenge to juggle academics with a part-time job, social life and extra-curricular activities while trying to stay healthy both mentally and physically. However, if I do not get enough sleep, all of these other things would suffer from it, too.

GT: Can lack of sleep contribute to worse performance in school or work, relationships, and health?

Jeong JaeHoon (19’, Chemical and Biological Engineering): I believe that lack of sleep can contribute to such a thing. If you do not sleep well, it affects your daily life because you keep getting sleepy unless you take measures such as drinking coffee. In addition to that, I feel bad because I cannot concentrate well when I take class and I am very tired on the subway on my way to school.

Seohyun: I definitely think so, and I have seen this affect my life in a very direct way, especially when dealing with school, as whenever I do not get sufficient sleep, I seem to have a harder time focusing and motivating myself to commit to my studies. In terms of relationships, I believe that it does not affect them as much as I think it would, mainly because they are things I enjoy. It all depends on the person and the type of relationship, but I would like to think that usually it does not affect my relationships in a negative way, but I have noticed that whenever I get enough sleep, I tend to enjoy my time with my friends fully.