As college students, we’re constantly being torn between studying, working and socializing. But how do we fit sleep into that hectic schedule?

Sadly, a majority of us don’t. Sleep has been placed at the bottom of our list of priorities, and it’s affecting our daily lives more than you’d think. Here are just a few ways that exhaustion interferes with our bodies and minds:

**Sleep deprivation decreases learning:** When you’re tired, your ability to pay attention for extended periods of time is next to zero. Drowsiness causes a lack of alertness, awareness, reasoning, concentration and ability to solve problems. Also, the sleep you get at night helps you to consolidate the past day’s events, so when you get little to no sleep, your recollection of the previous day will be twisted, if not completely forgotten.

**Sleep deprivation causes accidents:** Approximately 100,000 car accidents each year can be attributed to fatigue according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. When you’re tired, your reaction time is slower, your alertness and ability to focus are severely impaired and some studies even show that driving while exhausted is just as dangerous as driving while intoxicated. It doesn’t come as a shock that fatigue-induced accidents are most greatly seen in people under the age of 25. These accidents aren’t just car-related, either; people who experience a lack of sleep are more likely to be involved in problems at work and are shown to call in more often for sick days.

**Sleep deprivation produces long-term health problems:** Consistent sleep deprivation has been tied to heart attack, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and stroke. Approximately 90 percent of people with sleep apnea (an insomnia-like disorder in which a person has trouble breathing throughout the night and therefore has constantly interrupted sleeping patterns) suffer from another health condition.

**Sleep deprivation drops your sex drive:** There’s no denying that exhaustion leads to crankiness, tension and low energy — not exactly the kind of atmosphere you’d like your sex life to be exposed to. In one study consisting of a group of sleep apnea-affected men, 50 percent of the subjects had abnormally low testosterone levels.

**Sleep deprivation fuels depression:** Unfortunately, depression and insomnia feed one another. When you’re exhausted, you have little interest in doing things that typically interest you, leading to days or weeks without socializing. When you’re depressed, your thoughts can keep you up well into the night, creating a habit of sleep deprivation.

**Sleep deprivation ages your skin:** When you’re not getting sleep, your body releases a stress hormone called cortisol, which breaks down the collagen that keeps your skin looking smooth and tight. Aside from that long-term effect, sleep loss leads to dull skin, premature wrinkles and dark bags under your eyes.

Sleep is just as important to our bodies as exercise and a healthy diet. Remember that while dozing off on the bus ride to school or taking a power nap in the MU Student Center won’t hurt you, they’re not nearly as effective as a full night’s sleep. Sleeping cohesively for an extended period of time recharges your battery so much more effectively than short bursts of interrupted napping. So treat sleep as if it’s an important event you must attend. Make room for it in your schedule and learn to work it into your everyday routine.