Sleep and Academic Success: How Many Hours Do You Really Need?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the relationship between sleep patterns and academic success, exploring how many hours of sleep individuals feel they need to function optimally. Participants share their personal sleep habits, concerns about sleep deprivation, and the impact of sleep on cognitive performance, particularly in the context of academic pressures.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants report averaging 5-6 hours of sleep and express concern about its potential negative impact on their studies.
  • Others mention that individual sleep needs vary, with some feeling fine on as little as 2.5 hours, while others require 10-12 hours to function optimally.
  • Several participants note that their sleep patterns change based on circumstances, such as academic workload or physical activity levels.
  • There are mentions of age-related differences in sleep needs, with some suggesting that teenagers may require more sleep than adults.
  • Some participants share anecdotal experiences about how sleep deprivation affects their mood and cognitive clarity.
  • One participant humorously notes the chaotic nature of their sleep schedule, indicating a lack of a consistent circadian rhythm due to college life.
  • Discussions also touch on the idea that societal expectations around sleep may not align with individual biological needs.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that sleep needs are highly individual and can vary widely. However, there is no consensus on the optimal amount of sleep, with multiple competing views on what constitutes adequate rest.

Contextual Notes

Some participants reference external studies and anecdotal evidence regarding sleep and academic performance, but these claims remain unverified within the discussion. Additionally, there are mentions of personal experiences that highlight the variability in sleep requirements.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to students, educators, and anyone curious about the effects of sleep on cognitive performance and well-being.

How many hrs on average do you sleep?

  • to hell with sleep I will get enough sleep when im dead

    Votes: 3 4.2%

  • 3-4

    Votes: 1 1.4%

  • 4-5

    Votes: 3 4.2%

  • 5-6

    Votes: 16 22.5%

  • 6-7

    Votes: 15 21.1%

  • 7-8

    Votes: 15 21.1%

  • 8-9

    Votes: 10 14.1%

  • 9 and above

    Votes: 8 11.3%
  • Total voters
    71
  • #31
Yeah, college is a sleep sucker. I am finally done with my freshman finals week this Friday, and I'm starting to doubt that I still posses a circadian rhythm...lol.
 
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  • #32
Dr. HappyNuke said:
Yeah, college is a sleep sucker. I am finally done with my freshman finals week this Friday, and I'm starting to doubt that I still posses a circadian rhythm...lol.

oh yes I've said that many times. My circadian rhythm has been left to the play toy of dogs. If you plot "time of night vs. day of week, you'd come up with a scatter plot with a correlation of ~0.2 or less with a cluster around friday and midnight. =]
 
  • #33
djeitnstine said:
oh yes I've said that many times. My circadian rhythm has been left to the play toy of dogs. If you plot "time of night vs. day of week, you'd come up with a scatter plot with a correlation of ~0.2 or less with a cluster around friday and midnight. =]

lol. So you're not a liberal arts major either, I take it? (-:
 
  • #34
Dr. HappyNuke said:
lol. So you're not a liberal arts major either, I take it? (-:

Oh no, if I were a lib arts major I'd be partying 24/7. Engineering major I am.
 
  • #35
Yeah I hear ya, man. The worst thing is when your lib. arts major friends are bragging about their 4.0 when you're pretty happy with your engineering 3-point-something. It's just not fair ><
 
  • #36
Dr. HappyNuke said:
Yeah I hear ya, man. The worst thing is when your lib. arts major friends are bragging about their 4.0 when you're pretty happy with your engineering 3-point-something. It's just not fair ><

Just wait until the business majors are bragging about their $400,000 salary when you thought you were happy with your $60,000 one and are wondering why you were the one busting your butt in college while they were out partying. The one thing I REALLY hope for with the recession is that the business majors are put back in their place.
 
  • #37
Moonbear said:
Just wait until the business majors are bragging about their $400,000 salary when you thought you were happy with your $60,000 one and are wondering why you were the one busting your butt in college while they were out partying. The one thing I REALLY hope for with the recession is that the business majors are put back in their place.

Yeah, apparently business is the "fall back" major at my school; I would hope that all the people I'm thinking about wouldn't make $400,000 per year! The math requirement for business at my school is only through Pre-calc II...but for me it's like diffy-Q LOL. My aunt majored in chemistry, then teaching, and THEN business--and now she's a claims representative at an insurance company. I guess you get what you deserve...engineers should get paid more though. ^^
 
  • #38
Moonbear said:
Just wait until the business majors are bragging about their $400,000 salary when you thought you were happy with your $60,000 one and are wondering why you were the one busting your butt in college while they were out partying. The one thing I REALLY hope for with the recession is that the business majors are put back in their place.

Don't mean to bite back but engineers are for the most part recession proof. While thousands of "business majors" were getting laid off, I was watching ads for wanted engineers all over also demand is projected to grow. ;]

Plus we design things that are awesome. So my lack of sleep does certainly pay off =D
 
  • #39
Moonbear said:
Just wait until the business majors are bragging about their $400,000 salary when you thought you were happy with your $60,000 one and are wondering why you were the one busting your butt in college while they were out partying. The one thing I REALLY hope for with the recession is that the business majors are put back in their place.

Hear, hear!

Especially since I've had to take a 10% pay cut just to keep my job.
 

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