For some people, there’s nothing better than a cigarette to relieve tension after a stressful day of classes. Others enjoy kicking back for a few of hours to vegetate in front of the TV on Tuesdays or catch up on the day’s celebrity gossip on their favorite blog. And when things get really rough, it’s always nice to share an intimate evening with that special someone.However, you might want to forgo the bunk-bed bump-and-grind and settle for a good night’s sleep, according to new research out of the University of Minnesota.
The study, published by the university’s Boynton Health Service, confirms that bad habits affect academic performance.
Conducted at the University of Minnesota and 13 other colleges and universities in Minnesota, the research links behaviors such as inadequate sleep and excessive television and computer time to lower GPAs.
“Our study shows that there is a direct link between college students’ health and their academic achievement,” said Dr. Ed Ehlinger, director and chief health officer of the Boynton Health Service. “This is the first time that anything like this has been published where GPA is linked to all these behaviors.”
Balancing leisure time with work is always a challenge, but recreational habits such as frequent drinking and drug use can negatively impact grades. Even smoking is linked to this decrease in academic performance.
“Under no circumstances would I agree that it’s not okay to consume alcohol (if you are of age),” said senior Nick Vincent. “If you accomplish a set goal, then you should be able to celebrate.”
“I view alcohol consumption as a form of stress relief, and most of my stress is school-related,” said UNCG graduate student Trae Middlebrooks. “Alcohol is a reward.”
The findings encompass 24,000 students randomly selected for the study. In addition, 9,931 students that completed the 2007 College Student Health Survey Report were also factored into the results.
Students who reported excessive use of computers or television had an average GPA of 3.04. Those who did not report a problem with screen time had a higher average GPA of 3.27.
Similarly, students who reported smoking within the last 30 days had an average GPA of 3.12 in comparison to those who did not smoke and had an average GPA of 3.28.
Students complaining of considerable stress had an average GPA of 3.12, while students who did not feel stress affected their performance had an average GPA of 3.23.
“While this may seem like a small difference in GPA, when you are looking at over 9,000 students the impact of this difference is huge,” Ehlinger said.
“When all of your course assignments pile on, it can be detrimental to how you work,” said Vincent. “For myself, I would say that stress does not motivate me to get more done.”
Senior Meisha McDaniel advises that students “find friends who compliment your study habits, because it makes it easier to adjust your lifestyle if your priority is studying.”
“Turning off the computer or TV and going to sleep is one of the best things our students can do to improve their grades,” Ehlinger said. “We really want our young adults to be very successful because that means our society will be successful in the long run.