The All-Nighter

Another study, this one from St. Lawrence University, says that when you're in college, pulling an "all-nighter" really doesn't help much. In effect, students who never stayed up all night to get the work done or study for a test have an overall GPA of 3.1. Students who did have an average GPA of 2.9.

Suffice to say I fit squarely in those who did pull all-nighters.

Anyway, the theory is that if you deprive yourself of sleep your body doesn't work at maximum efficiency...including brain activity. Imagine that!

Also discovered were the reasons college kids have to pull all-nighters and have poor sleep habits: Excessive caffeine intake and poor time management. Imagine that! Of course, some students were "night owls" according to their circadian rhythms so they did a little better at working at night, but for the most part, those who weren't disciplined in their sleep habits lost a couple of tenths on their GPA.

While the findings weren't all that enlightening I began to wonder what I could do to get a better night's sleep.

First of all, I've been under the impression that I don't need the recommended 8 hours per night that I've been told is optimum. Generally, I get about 6 and feel like that's okay...but maybe it isn't. Maybe my brain function would get better if I got 8 hours consistently over the long haul.

I know I sleep better when I only drink two cups of coffee per day and absolutely NO caffeine after lunchtime. I wonder if I went full-blown caffeine-free if it'd get better.

I know that when I eat healthier I sleep better. Same for when I consistently exercise.

I know I'd sleep better if that goofy dog didn't pile up in the bed and feel like sleeping with the pack meant right up against me.

I wonder if our neighbors in other parts of the world aren't on to something with that whole siesta idea. Maybe if we were all like kindergarten kids and turned the lights off right after lunch we could just grab 45 minutes of snooze time. Of course, we'd have to get our employers to buy mats and CD's of ocean sounds.

And today, I'm not really worried about the college kids so much. I mean, who among us didn't fire off the No-Doz or Jolt Cola back in the day to get that paper typed (remember typewriters?)? Who didn't close the club down listening to that really good band or stay too long at the lake on the weekend and drive all night to make the 8AM class on Monday? They're young. They can take it. Even if they have a GPA in the high-C range.

What would we have to change in order to grab 8 good hours of sleep nightly? Could it be done if we really wanted to? What would be the "upside?" Downside?

Something to think about...and I may go have a nap after I think about it.