In our society, multitasking has become second nature -- especially with the younger generation. Upon entering a college classroom, one will find distracted minds and students that are often listening to the lecture, taking notes, browsing the internet, and updating social media all at the same time. With the schedules of college students increasing in engagement, the prevalence of social media rising in society, and the cases of anxiety on college campuses rising, the need to multitask on college assignments and endeavors has become a normal occurrence. However, since multitasking itself has become a staple in society, psychologists and scientists alike have conducted research on the affects multitasking has on the human brain. Clifford Nass,
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However, rest often takes a backseat in order to accomplish the seemingly “more demanding” tasks of college life. Jawbone conducted a study of “tens of thousands of college students’ sleep [habits] across the country at over 100 universities” and found that “students average around 7.03 hours of sleep during the week and 7.38 hours of sleep on the weekends” (Wilt). While this falls in the range recommended for 18-25-year-olds, that average lean towards the higher side of the 7-9 hours range reported by the National Sleep Foundation. While the deprivation of sleep presents individuals with a multitude of negative effects on their physical and mental state, one of the major effects it can have in relation to memory is the prevention of proper memory encoding. In a study published in the Journal of Sleep Research, “a single night of total sleep deprivation can reduce the capacity to encode new memories” (Cousins, et al). However, many students deprive themselves of sleep consecutive nights in a row, resulting in a significant “inability to form new memories effectively” (Cousins, et al). Not only will the initial encoding falter, but additional shortfalls include a decrease in “sustained attention, speed of processing, vocabulary learning, and an increased tendency to form false memories” (Cousins, et al). Therefore, the frequent act of surrendering sleep for academic requirements or social gatherings causes more long-term harm to an individual’s mind than the original stressors would. College students should strive for quality sleep habits and an even balance between work, rest, and
However, rest often takes a backseat in order to accomplish the seemingly “more demanding” tasks of college life. Jawbone conducted a study of “tens of thousands of college students’ sleep [habits] across the country at over 100 universities” and found that “students average around 7.03 hours of sleep during the week and 7.38 hours of sleep on the weekends” (Wilt). While this falls in the range recommended for 18-25-year-olds, that average lean towards the higher side of the 7-9 hours range reported by the National Sleep Foundation. While the deprivation of sleep presents individuals with a multitude of negative effects on their physical and mental state, one of the major effects it can have in relation to memory is the prevention of proper memory encoding. In a study published in the Journal of Sleep Research, “a single night of total sleep deprivation can reduce the capacity to encode new memories” (Cousins, et al). However, many students deprive themselves of sleep consecutive nights in a row, resulting in a significant “inability to form new memories effectively” (Cousins, et al). Not only will the initial encoding falter, but additional shortfalls include a decrease in “sustained attention, speed of processing, vocabulary learning, and an increased tendency to form false memories” (Cousins, et al). Therefore, the frequent act of surrendering sleep for academic requirements or social gatherings causes more long-term harm to an individual’s mind than the original stressors would. College students should strive for quality sleep habits and an even balance between work, rest, and