Most people, especially students, regularly operate in a state of sleep deprivation. Sleep is usually the first thing to be sacrificed in the context of daily life. Who has time to sleep when there are things to be done?

The amount of sleep a person needs is based on the individual. Depending on age, lifestyle, sleep homeostasis and circadian rhythms, everyone requires different amounts.

Getting enough sleep, which amounts to seven to nine hours a night, seems like a goal in an ideological world that will never be conquered. The luxury of “a good night’s sleep” seems reserved for the next break during Torrey Conference or Thanksgiving or retirement. Papers, projects, work, friends, television, class and athletics are all things that keep us up late and get us out of bed early. However, anything less than what is recommended can have detrimental effects. How long can our bodies keep up and how harmful is this type of lifestyle?

Sleep is a time of dynamic activity in which the body is performing functions vital to health and well-being. The National Sleep Foundation offers important information on the biochemical and physiological processes that occur during quality sleep. These include increased cell productivity, the proper function of memory, attention, complex thought, motor response, emotional control and maintenance of the immune and endocrine systems.

Studies show that people who were awake for 19 hours scored lower on performance and alertness tests than people who were legally drunk. Sleep deprivation results in poor memory, decreased energy, and can seriously effect one’s emotions. Increasing evidence associates lack of sleep to anger, stress and anxiety.

A study done by the University of Pennsylvania found that people who had only slept for four and a half hours per night for one week found they were more irritable, sad, anxious and easily frustrated. As their sleep was increased, improvements in mood were noticeable. Sleep deprivation has also been associated with more serious health problems such as obesity, diabetes and hypertension.

Advances in sleep research are continually bringing to light the importance of sleep for our survival. The most important thing is to pay attention to your body. Take note of how it reacts when you get too little or too much sleep. Develop a regular sleeping pattern. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms of sleep deprivation, it’s time to make sleep a priority on your list of things to do. If we are to put the most into this college experience, our studies, activities and relationships, we must pay attention to our body’s vital need for this luxury we call sleep.

The following list is what most experts agree are the “rule-of-thumb” amounts of sleep according to age.

Newborns (1-2 months): 10.5 – 18 hours

Infants (3-11 months): 9 – 12 hours during the night and 30-minute to two-hour naps, one to four times a day

Toddlers (1-3 years): 12 – 14 hours

Preschoolers (3-5 years): 11 – 13 hours

Elementary Children (5-12 years): 10 – 11 hours

Teens (11-17 years): 8.5 – 9.25 hours

Adults: 7 – 9 hours