As the new semester begins at the University of Calgary, many students anticipate disruptions to their sleep patterns. Sleep disorders among students can lead to daytime impairment, mental health issues, and decreased academic performance. A study published in ScienceDirect reports that approximately 16.3 percent of Canadian adults suffer from insomnia, while 14.7 percent use prescribed sleep medications. Another study indicates that post-secondary students are more prone to sleep disturbances than the general population.
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The Gauntlet spoke with Akshay Senthilkumar and Nidhin Sunil, President and Vice-President of the UCalgary Sleep Club. Sunil noted the dual impact of poor sleep on both academic performance and overall mental and physical health. "It's often very hard to focus when you have had maybe three or four hours of sleep, especially during a week of finals or midterms," he said. Senthilkumar added that inadequate sleep could affect exam performance, with lingering effects that can hinder recovery afterwards. He emphasized the need to identify the root causes of sleep issues, which vary by individual.
While many students focus on sleep during exam seasons, Sunil highlighted the importance of maintaining good sleep habits throughout the entire academic year. UCalgary Sleep organizes events, including sleep clinics and workshops featuring local sleep health professionals. Senthilkumar explained that they gather student questions in advance and create a targeted document for these professionals to address during the events. This approach allows students to seek help from experts in sleep psychology and respiratory health.
The club promotes good sleep hygiene practices, such as limiting screen time before bed and maintaining a consistent sleep schedule. "The one thing we can control is sleep hygiene," Senthilkumar explained, underscoring the importance of building better habits around sleep. Sunil added that everyone's sleep requirements differ, and finding a personal sleep schedule is essential.
Senthilkumar also discussed the advantages of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), which involves behavioral techniques to improve sleep. "This could be writing down worrying thoughts and resolving them before going to sleep," he explained.
As co-founders of the Canadian Student Sleep Health Organization (CSSHO), Senthilkumar and Sunil aim to extend sleep health initiatives from UCalgary to other Canadian institutions. They are developing an online platform to provide access to sleep-related podcasts and facilitate student queries.
The UCalgary Sleep Club collaborates with the Canadian Sleep Research Consortium to promote sleep wellness among students. They share informative content and event details on their Instagram page at @ucalgarysleep, and their podcast, the Sleep, Mind and Medicine Podcast, is available on Spotify. More information about UCalgary Sleep can be found on their student union website.