With 8 a.m. classes, waking up by 6 a.m. to get everything done after getting to bed at 2 a.m. is just another of life’s problems to solve as a student. In the hour-long gaps between literature classes and labs, students nap to get through the day.
Many sleepy students go for comfort in finding their nap-time locale.
“I like to sleep on the benches outside the movie theater,” said freshman Jim Bagsley. “They have slats in them, which are good for my back.”
Other students find that privacy is the number one factor in getting otherwise public shut-eye.
“I find that the best place to sleep when you’re on the fly is on the floor behind a couch,” said freshman Weikus Dryer. “I like behind the couch, as opposed to on the couch, because people are less likely to bug you or judge you.”
Students have even been found to sleep simply where they fit.
“I seem to have the best luck with the couches in the Turner lobbies,” said Matt Lewis, a freshman. “The best part is that they’re fairly large, so that I don’t need to cram into any space.”
A few students have even theorized ideas about how to catch an on-campus snooze.
“I can’t honestly say that I’ve slept anywhere on campus besides my bed but I have had the idea to put up a hammock in Rendezvous behind the C-store,” said freshman Robert Stepro. “It’d really freak people out, and hammocks are so comfy.”
While naps can often be seen as lazy, they offer health benefits. According to the Mayo Clinic, napping can aid in relaxation, reducing fatigue, increasing alertness, improving mood and quickening reaction time.
Napping can have its downside as well. Napping can lead to sleep inertia, which is the groggy or disoriented feeling after waking up from a nap, and can cause problems sleeping at night, according to the Mayo Clinic.
The ISU Student Health Center also suggests sleep to fight the daily stresses of being a student. For more information regarding sleep or fatigue problems, call the Student Health Center at 282-2330.