“Who needs sleep?” Says the college student pulling their third all-nighter this week. Thriving on little sleep is something that high schoolers and college students have perfected. It is almost like a badge of honor or a competition to see how little sleep you can get and still make it through your day of classes, work and extra activities.
I have experienced this myself, getting by with an average of five hours of sleep during the week and then trying to “recharge” on the weekend by sleeping until noon. It feels like a routine that is hard to break.
In some cases, you can’t help it. Sleep gets pushed to the side while you focus on your schoolwork or job. Sure, coffee and energy drinks are a boost throughout the day, and 10-minute power naps can make you feel like you slept for a whole night—but it isn’t a real solution to a sleep deficit.
You may feel fine after another night of five hours of sleep, but sleep deprivation can lead to burnout. If you have ever experienced burnout, you know it sucks and can take some time to recover.
Stating that “you’re used to it,” and it’s just how your body functions, means you’ve adapted to a lifestyle where you are constantly tired. You’re not optimizing your time at school or work; over time, the impact of sleep deprivation grows, and your health and performance can decline significantly.
Sleeping until noon on the weekend doesn’t make up for lost time during the week. It gives your body a rest on the weekend, but it can’t save the entire week.
Idealizing exhaustion is not good, so start prioritizing your sleep, and you will notice a positive difference after consistent nights of proper rest.