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For college students, December isn’t necessarily a time to deck to the halls, but more so a time to hit the books. With the end of the semester upon them and finals weeks, students spend every waking moment possible studying in hopes of securing that final A plus.
Although that 4.0 GPA may feel great, the sleep deprivation and stresses added to students to achieve this goal is unhealthy for the body. According to an article on medicalnewstoday.com, stress about school and life keeps 68 percent of students awake at night - 20 percent of them at least once a week.
Cardiovascular and immune system issues, as well as weight gain, are some of the effects of sleep deprivation.
With our own finals weeks currently taking place at Howard, I asked a couple of students how their sleeping habits, or lack thereof, have been.
“Normally I try to get like six or seven hours of sleep but last week I got like two or three a night,” says Candace Smith, a junior, broadcast journalism major.
According to the Journal of Adolescent Health, the average sleep necessary for young adults is 8 hours. However, research shows that only 30 percent of young adults actually meet this requirement.
“Sleep? What’s that?” laughs Jarrod Richardson, a senior, engineering major. “I live in the library. I think the last time I got a real night’s rest was about two weeks ago.”
Out of the five students I spoke with, all of them admitted to skipping out on sleep in order to prepare for finals. Personally, I have been guilty of staying up until 3 or 4 o’clock in the morning this past week cramming in as much information as possible for an upcoming final.
In order to help them stay awake, students explained the heavy use of energy drinks to help them remain alert.
“I drink 5 Hour Energies and Red Bulls all the time,” says Zack Johnson, a junior, administration of justice major. “Last week I probably rank a total of 20 Red Bulls to finish up a project.”
Once again, I find myself guilty of indulging in an energy drink here and there to shake off sleepiness. However, what students sometimes fail to realize are how unhealthy the constant consumption of these supplements can be.
Heart disease, high blood pressure, anxiety, and infertility are just some of the side effects associated with energy drinks.
Although it is important to ace your final this year, it’s more important to be healthy enough to see the next semester. As a result, students should be more cognizant of the effects of sleep deprivation, stress, and energy drinks.
Picture: http://today.ttu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/tired.jpg
The idea of being too heavy to walk across stage isn’t a typical thought running through the head of students upon graduation. However, for 24 students at Lincoln University, their weight may hinder them from receiving a diploma.
Lincoln University, a historically black college in Oxford County, Pennsylvania, implemented a policy in 2006 that requires the frequent measurement of students’ body mass index. According to CNN, students with a BMI of 30 and above, labeling them as obese, are required to take a fitness course for three hours a week. Those who do not complete this class will not be allowed to graduate.
Since Lincoln University is an HBCU, I automatically thought about what would happen if this policy was adopted at Howard. Polling a few students around my dorm, I realized that the majority of them have the same sentiments as most of the student at Lincoln University.
"If this policy was adopted at Howard I wouldn't like it," explains Jeremy Williams, a junior, sports medicine major. "Being from Mississippi, which is the most obese state in America, I understand that it is a major problem. But I just wouldn't like it, especially for my obese friends. That's not cool."
One aspect, however, that has not been focused on was brought to my attention by another student. What if students are underweight?
"Being underweight is a problem too," says Ryan Hamilton, a junior, communication and culture major. "It can be just as bad as obesity but no one ever focuses on that issue. What would happen if I didn't make the average BMI? Would I still be able to graduate?"
This is a legitimate question probably not thought of by the faculty at Lincoln University. Yes, it is true that obesity is a continuing problem faced in the black community. However, because only about 5 percent of the African American population fall into the category of being underweight, the risks of are often overlooked. More than likely, the reason for this is because the thought of blacks being underweight, anorexic, or bulimic are often thought to be a myth. But, according to an article on the website of the University of Southern California published this March, a study that was led by USC economist Michelle Goeree has revealed that African-American teen girls age 19 to 20 are 50 percent more likely to suffer from eating disorders, such as bulimia, than white girls are.
To be classified as underweight, a person's body mass index must be 19 or below. Some of the risks of being underweight include anemia, bone loss, delayed wound healing, heart irregularities, and blood vessel disease. According to the National Population Health Survey, underweight people were 70 percent more likely than people of normal weight to die, and extremely obese people were 36 percent more likely to die.
With the risk of death increasing as much, and even beyond, for underweight people as for obese people, this is a factor that should seriously be considered. What about those students who are underweight? Would they be forced to take a nutrition class? Would they be encouraged to increase their calorie intake? In my opinion, all aspects of student's health should be considered when forcing a graduation requirement among the student body. A re-evaluation of the policy may need to be considered.
Sources: http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/11/30/lincoln.fitness.overweight/index.html
http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/27/a-university-takes-aim-at-obesity/
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-06/gi-uae062309.php
http://www.schs.state.nc.us/SCHS/brfss/2008/nc/afam/rf1.html
http://www.teen-eating-disorders.net/teen_eating_disorders/study-reveals-stunning-prevalence-of-bulimia-among-african-american-girls.php
www.dshs.wa.gov/word/adsa/ddd/LowWeight.doc
Photo from: www.mmcdiet.com/images/weightScale.jpg
