Study habits affect health, student success

By Amanda Phipps

With finals coming up, some students are going to increase the amount of time devoted to studying and working.

Though not many long-term health problems come from over-studying, too much studying can have some immediate effects.

While people sleep, certain things are reinforced, psychology professor Jeffery Sinn said. When people give up sleep for more study time, they are not letting their bodies have enough time to consolidate long-term memories.

Sleep-deprived students also do not perform as well, Sinn said. They aren’t able to focus as well or think as sharply.

Humans are also prone to get bored after a while, he said. People aren’t wired to stare at the same thing for hours. A good way to avoid this is to break study time into fragments.

“Spaced practice is better than mass practice,” Sinn said.

Wellness coordinator Nicole Scaglione also agreed that breaks are important to effective studying. If students break up their study time throughout the year, it may make them more successful.

“Students should study a little bit every day and read through their notes,” she said.

Even though students may not be able to absorb the information as well after a while, Sinn said it is unlikely it will cause permanent damage.

“An average person is going to get bored and quit before doing any damage,” he said.

Even so, it’s important for students to have active, elaborative study techniques, such as outlining and comparing and contrasting ideas, Sinn said.

“Students don’t learn well just by looking at something,” he said. “It helps to write it down.”

Scaglione also said eating healthy, keeping up with a daily routine and taking breaks are ways to be a successful studier.

Program director for students with disabilities Gena Smith also said students should study about two hours for every hour in class.

“This shocks many students who are honest in saying they did not study much in high school,” she said.

Smith recommends these students should start smaller with one study hour per class hour and then four or five more hours until they find the right balance.

The stress that comes from over-studying and last-minute cramming is avoidable, Scaglione said. It is a mental process.

“People need to know what works for them,” she said. “It’s about striking a balance.”