Many suffer from restless nights, however few fail to realize its effects. Many may see it as short term, or perhaps something that can be fixed with an energy drink or large coffee with a few shots of espresso. However, this isn't something that should be pushed aside and forgotten. College students make up a large number of those who fail to receive an adequate amount of sleep, much of which can be reflected in their behavior or academic success. It can affect their ability to recall things quickly, or their appetite, or perhaps motivation.
In a seminar done at Loyola University, Stephen Crowley spoke on how biological changes during adolescence can affect sleeping patterns, ultimately leading to an insufficient amount of sleep during their teen years.1 As they mature in age their circadian rhythm shifts, causing children to seem more alert and awake at night rather than during the day.1 This affects their sleep schedule with sleeping later on in the day, causing a conflict with school schedules and daily life activities. This demand between societal norms in time and biological needs can have and have shown a negative affect on academic success, mood, and cognitive functions.
A journal sourced from the American Academy of Neurology also focused on the effects of sleep deprivation and the biological changes it makes. The journal explains that chronic insomnia may be a main cause of a faster decline in cognitive function and aging of the brain.2 This is assuming that these effects are shown later on in life. Researchers also found that those who suffer from lack of sleep are 40% more likely to develop mild cognitive impairment or dementia compared to those who receive a healthy amount of sleep.2 Physical changes were also shown,such as damage to blood vessels and build up of plaque.2 Although the study does not prove that this is a direct cause, it does suggest a correlation between the two.
Although both present findings based on different stages of life, both sources of information emphasize the importance of sleep and the massive role it plays in our daily lives. Whilst one represents the beginning of effects lack of sleep has in our lives, the second depicts the end stages.
Crowley, S. J., Wolfson, A. R., Tarokh, L., & Carskadon, M. A. (2018). Adolescent sleep: Current understanding and future directions. Journal of Adolescence, 67, 55–65. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2018.06.001
2. Diego Z. Carvalho, Bhanu Prakash Kolla, Stuart J. McCarter, Erik K. St. Louis, Mary M. Machulda, Scott A. Przybelski, Angela J. Fought, Val J. Lowe, Virend K. Somers, Bradley F. Boeve, Ronald C. Petersen, Clifford R. Jack, Jonathan Graff-Radford, Andrew William Varga, Prashanthi Vemuri. Associations of Chronic Insomnia, Longitudinal Cognitive Outcomes, Amyloid-PET, and White Matter Changes in Cognitively Normal Older Adults. Neurology, 2025; 105 (7) DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000214155
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