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Maria Pascucci is a national student leadership speaker, author and the CEO of Campus Calm™. If you’re tired of stressing over school, you can join the club … literally! Unite with students around the world at www.campuscalm.com and receive your free Student Leader Success & Happiness Kit.

According to the American College Health Association’s Fall 2009 National College Health Assessment, stress and sleep difficulties are the top two life issues that students say affect their studies. You have the opportunity to lead by example to teach your campus community how to create a successful, less stressful college experience.

Here’s how:

1. Strive to get enough sleep each night so you wake up each morning feeling refreshed. Encourage your friends to do the same. If you have to, enact a “No Facebook After 11” pact with your friends so you all get your butts in bed. As someone who experienced my own fair share of sleep difficulties while in college, I can tell you that sleep deprivation is a recipe for stress, which can compromise your college experience.

Bottom line: Tell yourself and your friends, “Sleep is a necessity. It’s not a luxury we need to earn.”

2. If your schedule is so jam-packed that you don’t have time to pencil in at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep, that is your wakeup call that you’ve taken on too many responsibilities. Drop an extracurricular if you’re not that passionate about it. Ask yourself, “Am I just doing it for the college resume?” Try to cut back an hour or two at work. Practice saying N-O to time gobblers. Lead yourself to your campus-counseling center and ask for help if you’re having trouble falling or staying asleep due to stress overload.

Bottom line: Sleep saves time. When you’re energized during the day, you can accomplish more in less time than – say - if you’re stumbling around campus at 2 o’clock in the afternoon in pursuit of your third cup of joe from Starbucks. Think of the money you will save in coffee costs too!

Filed under: Maria Pascucci • Campus Calm