Sleep Deprivation – No Longer a Badge of Honor

Dunno where I have been this last month…

Generally, it is rare for a student to go to sleep during a class of mine, but it does occasionally happen.  I don’t wake them up – intentionally…  While I used to be offended by what some may have suggested was a lecture-induced coma, my experience and a robust and increasing body of research suggests otherwise.

From general cognition, memory, attention span, and host of other executive cognition processes, the lack of sleep is king.  I have begun to randomingly “verbally” poll students with no particular desire to record data.  They just don’t appear to sleep much, and when they do, it is binge sleep.  I wonder.  Students are always telling me how anxious and stressed they are – often self-described as a crushing stress that impairs their learning and their quality of life.

I am perplexed.  Back in the day, one wore the all-nighter like a badge of honor. Not so much now, or so it is my perception at the moment.  Honestly, I am not sure how it is perceived by the young college student.  I need to ask.

I also need to reassess my role in this – if there is one.