Even though most students are spending this week studying for midterms or partying in preparation for Spring Break, one group is asking people to try to get some sleep.
March 3 through 9 is National Sleep Awareness Week, and the National Sleep Foundation is challenging Americans to improve their sleeping habits.
According to a new study by the foundation, the average amount of sleep adults get is six hours and 40 minutes on weeknights, even though researchers say adults need as many as nine hours each night.
For some ASU students, getting a full night's sleep would be a dream come true.
Accounting sophomore Stephanie Dangelser said she doesn't feel like she gets enough sleep.
"I'm usually pretty tired in the morning, and I crash around 2 or 3 [a.m.], as well," Dangelser said.
With homework and procrastination keeping her up, Dangelser said she probably gets six or seven hours of sleep every night. Not only is she tired, Dangelser said she notices a difference in her productivity the next day.
"I feel like I can't focus," Dangelser said.
According to the sleep foundation's data, Dangelser's feeling is common. One-third of people surveyed said they had slept on the job or become sleepy at work —an issue of concern for many professions from security guards to doctors.
Though construction management junior Ben Wehmann said he gets between five and six hours of sleep during the week, he can still function the next day.
"I don't feel too bad," Wehmann said.
Nicholas Meyer, a doctor with the Scottsdale-based Arizona Snoring and Sleep Apnea Institute, said that though lack of sleep is common, people who don't get enough quality sleep can be dangerous.
"They can be drowsy when driving," Meyer said. "That's one of the reasons people get in accidents on a bright, sunny day."
According to the foundation study, one third of people have fallen asleep behind the wheel, and two percent of drivers have caused accidents while driving drowsy.
In addition to causing accidents, sleep-deprived people are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and diabetes, as well as lose their sex drive, Meyer added.
To help prevent future health problems, Meyer said people should avoid excitement before going to sleep and focus on relaxing.
"They need to practice quiet time before going to sleep," Meyer said. "You can go to sleep easier without having the pressures of the day."
Caffeine and alcohol also make quality sleep difficult, Meyer said. Because alcohol makes a person's muscles lose their tone, the drinkers' airways begin to constrict. Meyer said this leads to snoring and difficulty breathing, which make it more difficult to fall and stay asleep.
Some sleep problems can be medical as well, which is when over-the-counter sleep aids or medical attention become necessary. Meyer and the institute focus on preventing snoring and obstructive sleep apnea, a disorder where a person wakes up gasping for breath when his or her throat becomes blocked.
"It's a life-threatening disease," Meyer said.
Reach the reporter at: claudia.koerner@asu.edu.
