Is Studying To Much Bad for Your Health?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the potential health impacts of excessive studying, drawing parallels to the effects of over-exercising. Participants explore the balance between study hours, sleep, and overall well-being, questioning how much studying is appropriate for academic success without compromising health.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express concern that studying excessively, particularly with insufficient sleep, could lead to negative health outcomes, similar to over-exercising.
  • Others argue that a lack of sleep can impair cognitive function and retention of information, suggesting that 6-8 hours of sleep is necessary for optimal performance.
  • A few participants share personal experiences with studying and sleep patterns, indicating that while some can function on less sleep, it may not be sustainable long-term.
  • There are mentions of the importance of breaks during study sessions to prevent burnout and maintain productivity.
  • Some participants highlight the need for balance in life, including leisure and social activities, to achieve overall happiness and well-being.
  • One participant notes that while extreme study hours can be attempted, they may lead to burnout and stress, suggesting a more measured approach to studying.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that sleep is crucial for effective studying, but there is no consensus on the exact number of study hours that can be sustained healthily. Multiple competing views exist regarding the balance between study, sleep, and leisure time.

Contextual Notes

Limitations in the discussion include varying personal experiences with sleep and study habits, as well as differing definitions of what constitutes "too much" studying. The potential long-term effects of extreme study habits remain unresolved.

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Hi,

I know there are some very intelligent people that have some very high degrees that come to these forums who have probably studied for 15+ hours a day after day after day... My question is if it's really bad for your health to study to much, similar to exercising to much. I can't seem to find any studies that show studying to much is bad for your health. I plan on exercising 6 days a week, normally I run 3 miles a day and then the next day switch to 5 and than just repeat. So i figure if I exercise for a hour a day, have to take a shower, spend 3 hours attending lectures, spend 2 hours eating going to the bathroom, sleep for 4 hours a day, maybe try to get 5 or 6... I potentially have the ability to study for I could study 12 hours a day during the school week monday through friday, and than study 15 hours a day on the weekends...

I haven't been able to find any research or studies that show that doing so is bad. Can you like permantly hurt yourself by doing so?

also how many hours would you say are needed of studying on your own for a undergraduate course, like 100 hours per credit?
 
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Whoa sleeping for 4 hours a day won't work. You need 6-8 or actually whatever you need to keep your brain functioning correctly.

I don't think you can permanently hurt yourself because you won't be able to actually do it. And honestly, why would you do such a thing? What is so important to require such outrageous lifestyle changes?
 
Pengwuino said:
Whoa sleeping for 4 hours a day won't work. You need 6-8 or actually whatever you need to keep your brain functioning correctly.

I don't think you can permanently hurt yourself because you won't be able to actually do it. And honestly, why would you do such a thing? What is so important to require such outrageous lifestyle changes?


What he said:)

You have enough work to do just doing your homework, much less torturing yourself with that much exercise. You need to get some more sleep, that would help you absorb your daily lessons .
 
You can't study for 12 hours a day and only sleep for 4 hours. Get 8 hours of sleep, and then your studying will actually be fruitful.

And yes you can definitely hurt yourself. If you are exercising you need proper sleep in order to regenerate your muscles and energy stores. Mental exertion also burns a lot of energy and can generate quite a bit of stress. If you do not sleep properly, you are going to end up with all sorts of problems which I won't even begin to list.

The studying won't kill you. A lack of sleep definitely can.
 
Hm interesting, I was trying to build myself up over the summer, 12 hours is pretty high, but i got to a legit 8 hours a day for about 7 weeks straight, I'm hoping once school starts in a couple of days to get some more studying done and to try to get past 8 and work my way up to 12 after school starts

I try to sleep for 8 hours a day but like i just can't even when i try lol, I guess you is should try and get more sleep, but idk it seems like i can function completely fine on like 5 or 6

and you I'm trying to keep the weight off lol... it's very easy to get fat in college

i know there are very few people that can study for 12 hours a day, including myself at the moment, and that if i gained the ability to do so I would probably be able to do so I would be able to do pretty well at my university, it's a good school but not like MIT or anything so i see that as being a added benefit
 
In my experience: it's better to have a good study cycle than an extreme study amount.

I work nights, and generally can dedicate the entire 8 hour shift to studying - with minimal interuption. Even with that entire block of time available, I still find myself doing ~2hrs of studying with a 1hr break after (break activities: actually work, browse forums, read a non-school book, read news, nap, etc). There are times when I get 'in the zone' with a particular homework assignment or reading and go over that time, but if I find myself getting restless I generally take a break.
 
In addition to health risks, getting 4 hours of sleep is highly suboptimal for maximizing how much of the information you retain because (a) you won't be operating near peak mental function and (b)http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2009/memories-0624.html" So in order to maximize your retention, you need to sleep or you're just putting your body through stress with no prospect of long term benefits.
 
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well I've just graduated my physics course at uni and I started being taught physics in school from the age of 13. I'm now losing my hair at 23 years old :confused:. 10 years of physics will do that to a person!
 
jeebs said:
well I've just graduated my physics course at uni and I started being taught physics in school from the age of 13. I'm now losing my hair at 23 years old :confused:. 10 years of physics will do that to a person!

I knew a guy who was loosing his hair in high school; he wasn't a math or science person, he was just going bald, because he had a genetic predisposition.
 
  • #10
I'm tried very hard to do that during the first year, then the second year.

Now I'm attempting that gain. I just burn out. Don't see how you can not just burn out from it.
 
  • #11
simplicity123 said:
I'm tried very hard to do that during the first year, then the second year.

Now I'm attempting that gain. I just burn out. Don't see how you can not just burn out from it.

You can't. You might be able to do it for a bit by popping amphetamines but eventually that will take its toll. The best way to study is to pace yourself.
 
  • #12
Where does your social life fit into all of this? Leisure time and time to pursue interests outside of academia? You need balance in your life if you want to be happy. You can find a happy medium if you try.
 
  • #13
I think it can be done and still be healthy. I do an hour or weight lifting a day plus try to eat healthy, the rest is listening to music and reading textbooks.

On socializing I talk to family at home whilst thinking about Maths and at uni I talk to other students and lecturers. I suppose it depends what you want in life. Do you want to be mediocre and settle for doing okay work, or do you want to aim big.
 
  • #14
don't overdo it. that's what "too much" means.
 

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