Quality sleep is a pillar to one's overall well-being. Sleep helps regulate many of our bodies systems, helps "clean out" waste from our brains, boosts our immune systems, aids our mental health, and allows us to focus better and reduce accidents during the time we are awake. Unfortunately, many people, including college students, find themselves to be sleepy during the day, which is a prime indicator that one is not achieving quality sleep every night. Additionally for students, experiencing sleepiness during the day can result in a deficiency in memory retention and learning, potentially negatively impacting academic or job performance.
Nearly half (48%) of all Northwestern undergraduates indicate sleepiness as being 'more than a little problem' which is higher than the National Average (46%)
Across sex & gender, Females report the highest issue with sleepiness (55%), followed by Non-Binary (50%) as 'more than a little problem'
Living on-campus/in University housing was the only living arrangement where over half (54%) of respondents indicated sleepiness being 'more than a little problem'
Sleepiness appears to improve as Northwestern students progress through college from their first year to their fourth year.
Varsity level athletes indicate the lowest level of sleepiness (29%) being 'more than a little problem' than any other population.