With first semester coming to an end and finals quickly approaching, seats at the University of Miami’s Richter library are a hot commodity. As of Monday, Dec. 2, Richter’s doors are open for 24 hours until the end of finals.
While students are trading sleep for studying as the most hectic week of the semester approaches, the Student Health Service noted that a lack of sleep can be detrimental to students’ academic performance.
“Getting enough sleep is necessary for academic success,” the Student Health Service said. “Students who pull all-nighters are more likely to have a lower GPA. Also, students who stay up late on school nights and make up for it by sleeping late on weekends are more likely to perform poorly in the classroom.”
According to UM’s Student Health Service website, college students are among the most sleep-deprived people in the country. Experts advise students to aim for 7-9 hours of sleep a night.
“Lack of sleep can have a variety of negative impacts on a person’s health, including weakened immunity, negative mood and trouble with thinking and concentrating,” the Student Health Service said.
Students note the average amount of sleep lost during the demanding week.
“I lose probably about three hours of sleep during finals since there’s so many exams all in a matter of a few days,” said sophomore psychology major Ashley Caserta.
Junior Katherine Poppiti said she’s learned to manage a consistent sleep schedule since she has gone through finals season so many times.
“I know my limits with studying and don’t see the value in staying up super late to cram,” said Poppiti, a political science and ecosystem science and policy major. “The only time I feel like I lose sleep is if I have a paper or project that I procrastinated on and need to work on late the night before.”
The Student Health Service advises students to maintain a healthy sleep schedule, exercise daily and wind down before going to bed. The Student Health Center will be open regular business hours during finals week, which is Dec. 5-11.