University of Toronto Magazine University of Toronto Magazine
Infographic: 6 hours of less: 46%; 6.5 or 7 hours: 35%; 7.5 or 8 hours: 19%; More than 8 hours: 0%;
Illustration by Isabel Foo

Poll: How Many Hours of Sleep Do You Get?

Students confess they're not getting enough sleep, say time management is key to better slumber

When school and work start piling up, students sacrifice sleep to get everything done. But skipping slumber can have adverse effects. In a 2010 study, for example, U of T psychologists found that memory retention in young adults correlated with the amount of sleep they got.

Her usual five hours of sleep “could be better” confesses Hyuna Yun, a first-year student in cognitive science at University College. She’s not alone among our surveyed students, but researchers say teens need, on average, nine to 10 hours a night, adults seven to eight. Those who sleep less than their body requires risk sleep disorders, stress and depression.

Students who enjoyed the most shut-eye say time management is the secret. “I just figure out what could be put off,” says third-year physics and astronomy student Ariel Amaral. “Then it’s possible to delegate for another day and get a few extra hours of sleep.”

This highly unscientific poll of 100 students was conducted on the St. George campus in November, during mid-terms.

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