Top Ten Best Colleges for Sleep
Here it is — our list of stand-out colleges for sleep. Massachusetts is the big winner on this list, holding down eight of the top ten spots. Why? State obesity rates are relatively low, and many residents get regular aerobic exercise. Air pollution is moderate compared to many other states, and the body mass index of Massachusetts residents is one of the healthiest in the country.
Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts (Sleep Score: 7.73) Students at this picturesque “Little Ivy” in the suburbs of Boston get the best sleep of any on our list. Though they tend to hit the hay later than students at many other colleges, they manage to get 7.01 hours of sleep a night. Not the eight hours recommended by experts, but more than many of their peers. They also get almost the ideal amount of exercise and have a favorable average BMI compared to students at other schools, which contributes to their strong slumber numbers.
Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts (Sleep Score: 7.71) Harvard students snooze just down the road from Tufts, and actually beat their rivals by a few minutes of sleep a night. So why the lower sleep score? A tad less exercise may make their sleep less efficient, and their average BMI is a touch higher. They also get less sleep on weekends, bringing down their average overall. Still an impressive showing in a state filled with students who know how to sleep.
Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (Sleep Score: 7.67) With a total sleep time of just under seven hours a night, Northeastern students grab third place on our list. They wake up earlier than students at the top two colleges, and go to sleep a good twenty minutes earlier, as well. Their average BMI is higher, so we knocked down their score a few notches for that. They also take fewer steps on the weekends, which may affect their sleep quality and general health.
Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts (Sleep Score: 7.63) With alumni like Doug Flutie and Amy Poehler, Boston College boasts an interesting and diverse student population. Their students come in second for sleep time, but their total sleep score brings them to number four on our list. Why? It all comes down to exercise. BC students take fewer steps on weekdays and weekends, which makes them more likely to suffer from inefficient or disrupted sleep.
Cambridge College, Cambridge, Massachusetts (Sleep Score: 7.59) Cambridge College, a private college for adult education, ranks number five on our list. A range of class schedules may be why its students get more shut-eye than any others on our list, even though many Cambridge College students work or have families. Their average sleep and wake time is among the earliest of all the students in our top ten, but they exercise significantly less. Though this may be due to busy work and school schedules, it does bring down the school’s overall sleep score.
University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont (Sleep Score: 7.57) Heading north, our next school is located in one of the cleanest cities in the country, Burlington. UV students average some of the earliest sleep and wake times, giving them a total sleep time of 7.2 hours on weekdays. They don’t do quite as well as some of their neighbors to the south on exercise or BMI, though. which explains why they rank at number six.
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California (Sleep Score: 7.57) Swinging out to the west coast, we find California Polytechnic State University, or Cal Poly for short. San Luis Obispo is one of the country’s cleanest cities, boosting Cal Poly’s score as a school for healthy sleepers. Less exercise on weekends and higher state obesity rates bring Cal Poly’s score to number seven.
Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts (Sleep Score: 7.55) BU’s 18,000 students log less total sleep time than those at Tufts and Harvard, snoozing just under seven hours a night. Freshmen are required to live on campus, which may make sleep challenging for some students. BU students take fewer steps overall and have a slightly higher BMI, but still sleep well enough to land in our top ten.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts (Sleep Score: 7.55) Judging by their average bedtime of 1:08 am (1:45 am on weekends!), the students at MIT are true night owls. They spend the least amount of time in bed of any students on our list, but still manage to sleep almost seven hours a night. Though they exercise about as much as students at other top schools, their late snooze time keeps MIT students from rising higher on our list.
University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts (Sleep Score: 7.47) Located ninety miles from Boston in Western Massachusetts, the bucolic setting of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst seems designed for a good night’s sleep. So how do the school’s students stack up against others when it comes to slumber? They sleep a few minutes longer than students at MIT, but still average less than seven hours a night during the week. Exercise and BMI metrics are in the ballpark with other schools, but less sleep on weekends keeps UMass Amherst students squarely in the number ten spot.
Top Five Worst Colleges for Sleep
Let’s take the five worst colleges for sleep in reverse order. Remember — total sleep time is just one factor we take into consideration. Air quality, BMI, and other health-related metrics all contribute to our final ranking. Now, on to the bottom five.
Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas (Sleep Score: 3.24) Students at Texas Christian University may sleep about seven hours nightly, but they do it in one of the country’s most polluted cities. State obesity rates are also sky-high, increasing the chance that students here are grappling with asthma or sleep apnea. On the plus side, Texas Christian University students get a fair number of steps in every day and do a good job of sleeping in on weekends.
University of Mississippi, Oxford, Mississippi (Sleep Score: 3.21) The University of Mississippi — or “Ole Miss” — is the state’s largest university. Students here rack up some respectable sleep time: 7.12 hours on weekdays and 7.55 on weekends. So, what accounts for their position in the bottom five? The state is number two in the nation for obesity. That, along with lower rates of regular exercise, puts the Ole Miss student body at higher risk of obesity-related sleep issues.
Rice University, Houston, Texas (Sleep Score: 3.16) Rice University gets high marks for academics, but low marks for sleep. Not only do Rice students sleep just 6.94 hours on weeknights, but their school is located in one of the most polluted cities in the US. Add in a high state obesity ranking and only moderate rates of exercise, and you’ve got the number three school on our bottom five list.
Mississippi State University, Starkville, Mississippi (Sleep Score: 3.07) Students at Mississippi State University sleep less than seven hours each night on average, but that’s not the only reason they’re at number two. They take fewer steps than students at many of our top-ranked colleges and live in a state where almost 40% of the population is obese. Both obesity and lower rates of exercise make it more likely that Mississippi State students have trouble sleeping due to sleep disorders, poor fitness, or high BMI. This combination of factors puts MSU near the bottom of our list of sleep-friendly schools.
West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia (Sleep Score: 3.07) Number one on our list of Top Five Worst Colleges for Sleep is West Virginia University. Though students here sleep around seven hours each night, they take several thousand fewer steps than students at many of the colleges on our list (just 6500 steps on weekends). Poor exercise habits combined with the nation’s highest rate of obesity puts West Virginia University students at high risk of obstructive sleep apnea and other obesity-related illnesses, such as diabetes. These conditions can negatively influence sleep and academic performance, both essential to well-being and success during the college years
https://sleepopolis.com/education/the-best-worst-colleges-for-sleep/
