by John Bear
Daily Lobo
Finals have arrived, and lack of sleep could be catching up to students.
UNM student Stephanie Kramer said lately she probably gets no more than two or three hours of sleep a night.
She said she has to play catch-up with all of her classes.
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UNM student Cathy McQueen said studying isn't the only thing keeping her from sleeping - it's all her responsibilities combined.
"It's been a bad semester - and not just because of finals," she said. "I am about three weeks behind and still not getting enough sleep."
Kathleen Schindler-Wright from Counseling and Therapy Services said she doesn't get a lot of students complaining of sleep deprivation during finals.
"I get them periodically," she said. "They think that sleeping problems are affecting their ability to study."
Sleep deprivation can cause people to lose the ability to focus and retain information, Schindler-Wright said. She cited a study that claimed resident doctors who stay awake 36 hours or longer make more mistakes than those who work shorter shifts.
"The scariest thing about this is they lose the ability to self-correct, to realize that they have made a mistake," she said.
Schindler-Wright provided some suggestions for students who may be experiencing sleep-related problems.
"Drink chamomile tea or a glass of warm milk," she said.
Students should lay off the caffeine several hours before bed, Schindler-Wright said. Alcohol can be an important factor in healthy sleep habits. Even though it is a depressant, it can interfere with sleeping patterns, she said.
Taking naps can also worsen sleeping patterns, she said.
"If you sleep more than one hour, it can make it harder to sleep the next night," she said.
In addition to beverage choice and nap length, Schindler-Wright said getting more exercise should help students fall asleep.
The temperature in one's bedroom can also be a factor. She said most people can't sleep if it is too hot in the room.
She suggested keeping a notebook next to the bed so if students have any ideas, they can write them down instead of worrying about forgetting them.
She said it is probably harder for students to be on a regular sleep pattern, because they have abnormal schedules.
"There are a lot of students juggling school and work," Schindler-Wright said. "It's ideal to get enough sleep, but it's harder for them to do."
