To be completely frank, I am a terrible procrastinator. It is my worst habit, even trumping my terrible tendency to bite my nails which has stuck with my since adolescence. While I most certainly get my work done on time, I procrastinate until it becomes absolutely necessary for me to complete what needs to be completed. With this said, my sleep patterns become inevitably out of whack. I end up pulling an all-nighter one night, while sleeping twelve hours the next. Although these nonconsecutive patterns may seem unbelievable, they are actually extremely common for college students.
Balancing schoolwork, a part-time job and an avid social life with a healthy sleep pattern isn't easy. But, as an intellectually growing girl, I understand the importance of sleep and the negative health effects on my well-being if I do not get enough of it. In Ariana Huffington's new book, The Sleep Revolution, she speaks about the importance of sleep, and how we as a culture do not support the need for sleep. Not only does she speak of the dangerous effects lack of sleep can have on our body, but about the science behind the importance of sleep.
As I continue my studies at Syracuse University, and amidst the hustle and bustle of my day-to-day life, I will furthermore take into consideration the importance of a good night's sleep, and influence my peers to do the same.
This post is part of our series on sleep culture on college campuses. To join the conversation and share your own story, please email our Director of College Outreach Abby Williams directly at abigail.williams@huffingtonpost.com. And you can find out here if the #SleepRevolution College Tour will be visiting your campus, and learn how you can get involved. If your college is not one of the colleges already on our tour and you want it to be, please get in touch with Abby.