Financial debt is not the only problem for students in college, most of them are in a sleep debt, according to William Dement, chief of the division of sleep medicine at Stanford University.
When students sleep less and less hours, the lost hours will accumulate into a sleep debt that progressively becomes harder to pay back. Too much sleep debt will result in the person becoming overly tired.
Dement also said that most students don't get the sleep they need, and mistakenly attribute their tiredness to stress or virus or boredom.
Sleep loss can also affect memory. Sheila Osterman, supervisor of the Sleep Disorder Center in Lafayette, says, "One process of Rapid Eye Movement sleep takes short term memory and turns it into long term memory. So getting a good night's sleep before a test will help you recall things better."
Sleep deprivation can also cause mood changes and bring on pessimism, stress and anger. If not contained in time, these can lead to anxiety disorders or depression. Sleep deprivation is also associated with weight gain.
Driving becomes risky for sleep deprived persons, and is reckoned to be as dangerous as driving while intoxicated.
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