On Campus Fall Classes Raise Questions About Sleep

The sanctity of sleep for college students is being threatened across the country due to classes (online and in-person) starting early.

With classes that start as early as 7 a.m for some schools, getting a full 8 hours of sleep has become more of a dream than a reality.

A combination of classwork, athletics, and social obligations make getting a good night's sleep almost impossible for the modern college student, and having classes so early in the morning can not only affect performance but also the emotional state of the student.

According to a sleephealthjournal.org article, 70-90% of all college students don’t get the recommended 8 hours of sleep each night. The article also goes over the risks of sleep deprivation, stating that individuals could suffer from infections and may suffer from an increased risk for both addiction and car accidents.

Marist College student Thomas Curran is ambivalent about early start times. “I can see both sides of the argument. I feel that for most students starting later in the day wouldn’t be such a bad idea, but it could mess with everyday activities within the college.”

Champlain College’s earliest classes start at 8:30 am. A study by the Open University in the UK suggests that for over 80% of college-aged students, the ideal start time would be between 10 and 11 am.

If students are to get the proper amount of sleep it’ll take a duel effort between college and student to accomplish a beneficial result, whether it be a later start time for classes or students getting the proper amount of work that allows them to rest.

By Matthew Curran

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