By Dejanique Calloway

College students can relate to Jack Nicholson’s sleep-deprived character in the 1980s horror classic, The Shining. Research shows a lack of breaks and little to no rest can cause damage to the body and mind. Although you may not be talking to former, deceased groundskeepers or running around with an ax like a mad man (if you are, we have services here at the college for that), you shouldn’t wait to address your health.

Many students at PPCC lead “non-traditional” lives with families, sometimes two jobs, and other responsibilities on top of school, all of which require a great deal of energy. As a result, students may neglect their need for adequate sleep.

Downtown Campus work study Nathan Hollenbeck says he’s so busy with school and work that he sleeps maybe four hours a night. Student Ambrosia Feess agreed, saying, “I don’t sleep!”

When asked how much sleep someone needs, Dr. William Dement, sleep researcher and founder of the Sleep Research Center at Stanford University, suggests the rule of thumb is eight hours, but many college students fail to achieve that goal, accumulating sleep debt.

According to the Pikes Peak Counseling Center, sleep is one of the most common issues students struggle with.

Ignoring the body’s signs of drowsiness could have consequences including poor grades, the inability to pay attention, accidents and even death.

According to The American Academy of Sleep Medicine, one in five adults fail to get enough sleep, and 34 percent of adults were found to have a dangerous amount of sleep debt.

Sleep is important for productivity and suggests that along with exercising regularly, you should avoid napping through the day and have a fixed bedtime.

“I have a routine to go to bed, and making sure that I get sleep is important,” said Associate Professor, Emily Badovinac.

Don’t be like Jack: by implementing healthy sleep habits , you could save yourself from going crazy.

For resources and advice on sleep and other health topics, including ways to reduce stress, visit the Counseling Center online or at one of the PPCC campuses: Centennial: C-201 a/b, Rampart Range: N107c and The Downtown Studio: S126a.