“Sleep with one eye open, gripping your pillow tight”

Insomnia, the prolonged and usually abnormal inability to obtain adequate sleep, is a common affliction among Americans, especially young adults, that can last from days to months at a time.

“Insomnia would be difficulty falling asleep, or what they call difficulty with sleep maintenance, having a number of awakenings that makes you feel sleep deprived,” said Dr. Rick Copen, the clinical director of Lansing’s Sparrow Hospital’s Insomnia Clinic. “It’s a subjective experience.”

According to a 2000 study by The National Sleep Foundation that polled 1,154 Americans, 55 percent of those between the ages of 18 and 29 said they stay up too late to watch TV or use the Internet. An equal percentage said they will sleep less in order to get more done.

And nearly two-thirds of Americans, the study said, report having a sleep problem a few nights of the week or more.

For college students, the build-up of paper deadlines, exams, part-time jobs and looming loans may lead to insomnia, which is a symptom of greater problems such as stress, depression or anxiety.

“It’s staying up late and sleeping in, doing an all-nighter, sleeping until 2 p.m. on the weekends, slamming coffee all night, the nap at 4 p.m.,” said Dr. Dave Young, co-director of the Sparrow Sleep Center. “College is just a time when sleep is typically secondary, and I speak from experience.”

Campbell does not relate his experience to college life - his insomnia began about six years ago. But his tossing and turning symptoms are experienced, on some level, by college students and professionals alike.

“I wanna be sedated”

After a poor sleep, you may be coping with more than the usual bad mood.

“We do know people who are sleep deprived have difficulties, not only with irritable moods but short term memory,” Copen said. “Newly learned skills could be problematic, and that’s a problem when you’re in college.”

How much sleep is enough to wake up feeling fresh? Lucky individuals can swing with a few hours of slumber under their belt, but most people need eight or nine solid hours of sleep to feel rejuvenated.

Campbell, who is used to not sleeping, said he can easily get by the next day with five hours of sleep.

“Five a night and I’ll be perfectly fine and chipper,” he said. “More than seven, I’ll have too much sleep. Usually I get four or five.”

“There are some nights when I’m exhausted enough to fall asleep,” he added. “But for the most part it’s easier to say when I don’t have insomnia then when I do.”

Campbell said he has never seen a doctor about his insomnia. If he were to visit Sparrow Sleep Center, Young said doctors would work to uncover the cause of his insomnia, which could be as simple as drinking too many cappuccinos or as involved as depression.

Copen recommended contacting a physician if insomnia persists more than three or four nights.

“For short-term insomnia they can prescribe something to avoid long term behavioral problems with sleep,” he said.

But if the insomnia is chronic, meaning it has been ongoing for six months to a year, Copen said a visit to a sleep specialist would be beneficial.

“Working on the night moves”

Can anything positive come out of a bad night’s sleep? Maybe.

A late night creative or productive surge may ease your night frustrations.

“People sometimes say that their insomnia creates time in the nights,” Copen said. “They might do a report, play on the computer or use that space to be alone, because, well, no one else is awake.”

Campbell said he writes his best English papers at 3 a.m.

“I usually wait until night to do my writing; My brain is more open to ideas because I’m so tired and I get away from social constructs, how everyone wants you to think. I’m able to think for myself at night.”

Copen agreed.

“Some people might be more creative at night,” Copen said. “Of course, they’re not the ones that come in complaining.”

Sleep Centers Near By

Sparrow Sleep Center
Sparrow Hospital
1215 E. Michigan Ave.
Lansing 48909-7980
(517)483-2946,
Open 24 hours

Michigan Capital Healthcare
Sleep/Wake Center
2025 S. Washington Ave.
Suite 300
Lansing 48910-0817
(517)334-2510,
Open 24 hours