When Eleanor Roosevelt said, "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams," she graced the world with her understanding of the power of dreams—or better yet, the power of sleep.

The overwhelming trend of students sleeping less and doing more has created a competitive, cutthroat environment that is simply exhausting. The impact of quality sleep on everyday performance is a direct correlation that few students seem to grasp. As a college student, I've seen that pulling all-nighters and sleeping six hours a day is not uncommon. Yet studies have shown that this habit can in fact be detrimental to academics, cause more automobile accidents, increase irritability and even trigger the usage of stimulants and alcohol. According to Dr. Dement, a professor at Stanford University, all of us have something called "sleep debt."

Every student has different sleep needs. Sleep debt is the additive consequence of not meeting your sleep quota each night. Combined with alcohol, sleep debt is not only strenuous but also incredibly dangerous. Dr. Dement encourages students to plan ahead and take naps. This sensible and responsible strategy makes us smarter, faster and safer.

Though cable and Internet chatting are awfully tempting, students need to realize the consequences of chronic sleep loss. After all, there is no evidence whatsoever that anyone can ever get too much sleep. Sleep is power—power for your mind, power for the body and power to reach your fullest potential.

—Connie Chan, Marilla Court