Have you ever pulled an all-nighter to study for an exam or complete an assignment? How about depending on a single cup of coffee to get you through a long day of lectures? These unhealthy habits are increasingly practiced by students pursuing post-secondary education and they align directly with prevalent experiences of exhaustion, burn-out, and stress. 

Exposing the toxic work culture of academia that has become normalized and advocating for the wellness of students has always been an important issue that has unfortunately slipped under the radar. It is long overdue to address an outlook that is often suppressed due to the wrongful glorification of what defines an academic.  

By examining data collected through surveys completed by college students in the United States, it is clear that individuals intake caffeine predominantly through the consumption of coffee. This was consistent in males and females and the results determined that students typically consume more coffee than those of a similar age in the general population [4]. 

Caffeine masks the body’s need for sleep and rest. The continuous intake of caffeine has been proven to block adenosine receptors in the body [6]. This leads to a reliance on caffeine, resulting in excessive consumption, as well as a resilience to the reactions that the body produces upon engaging [3]. 

In recent years, coffee has turned into a trend that plays on the aesthetic factor, which normalizes caffeine consumption and further facilitates caffeine addiction. Increased intake of caffeine can also be attributed to the convenience that is marketed by fast food and retail franchises.

Examining the consumption of caffeine among students reveals a reliance that stems from external pressures. Unfortunately, this is interpreted as being over-productive and, ultimately, a workaholic. The normalization of capitalist values, such as constantly working, has contributed to the increased consumption of caffeine in both academic and professional settings. 

Caffeine was first introduced so that individuals could continuously work against normative conditions. Author and journalist Michael Pollan – known for his work on how food affects culture and society – analyzed the effects of caffeine in his audiobook entitled “Caffeine: How Coffee and Tea Created the Modern World”. Pollan examines the fact that the introduction of caffeine in the form of coffee in the United States in the 1940s was a way to increase worker output. The consumption of coffee ultimately allowed workers, including soldiers, to increase their overall productivity, focus, and concentration, which is a pattern that continues to be followed today. Pollan describes this incident as “the best evidence of caffeine’s gift to capitalism”, further supporting the ideology that the introduction of caffeine to society, specifically in the form of coffee, was used to benefit the economy at the expense of the working class [7]. 

Moreover, lack of sleep in students can be attributed to a number of factors including procrastination, adjusting to a new environment or routine, and stress. The consequences of sleep deprivation are problematic and affect the ability to learn effectively, which ironically undermines the students’ motivation to forego sleep in the first place [5]. Insufficient amount of sleep is often connected to students overextending themselves to abide by the competitive standards upheld by universities. An unhealthy amount of sleep has a number of negative effects including high blood pressure and type 2 Diabetes, which causes further deterioration of weakened blood vessels and a compromised heart [12]. 

Lack of sleep also affects mood and decreases reaction times. This is because insufficient sleep affects the part of the brain responsible for mood regulation (the amygdala) and further hinders people’s abilities to cope with negative emotions in a healthy way [2]. For example, an individual can become easily irritable when they lack an adequate amount of sleep, which can further lead to feelings of anger that cannot be subsided until the body is able to rest and return to its normative state. 

Furthermore, the typical student diet consists of unhealthy foods.  Although fried foods can be appetizing, they contain excess amounts of oil and fat. Also, the process of frying changes the chemical composition of foods, such as chicken and seafood, which greatly reduces their nutritional value[10]. 

The consumption of such foods on a consistent basis can lead to malnourishment. The overall lack of nutritional value correlates to declining physical and mental health. This eating pattern can potentially be indicative of food insecurity, which is the inability to access and consume nutritious foods due to the inaccessibility of essential resources [9]. Food insecurity resonates with the realistic situation that many low-income students face. Students are often the target customers for the marketing of unhealthy foods due to affordability. 

By examining a typical post-secondary campus, it is evident that there is decreased accessibility to healthier food options. College students expressed that living off-campus evidently changed the unhealthy eating patterns that they were exposed to whilst staying on campus, as they were able to access healthy foods [8]. Location and finances both contribute to the lack of accessibility to healthy food options around college campuses. Ultimately, the ‘broke college student’ cliche is a reality that is preyed upon [1]. 

Society encourages the glorification of harmful practices by labeling them as ‘the university lifestyle’. These practices are then falsely equated to hard work and become a symbol of pride for those partaking in them. The level of competition, the need for students to prove themselves, and increased levels of stress all contribute to the increased likelihood of falling into harmful practices that have negative long-term health effects.  

By steering clear of these habits and prioritizing their health, students can avoid the experiences of exhaustion, burnout, and stress that are prevalent among students today. Creating a schedule that is productive and realistic, consuming balanced meals containing adequate levels of nutrients, and taking advantage of resources available on and off campus, such as mental health support, counselors, and advisors, are ways to develop practices that will benefit students beyond the classroom and throughout their lives. This will inevitably lead to better academic performance and overall wellness.

Works Cited

[1] Bsudlr. (2021, February 2). The normalization of food insecurity. The Digital Literature Review.https://blogs.bsu.edu/dlr/2021/02/02/the-normalization-of-food-insecurity/ 

[2] He, J. (2019, April 25). Opinion: Students must stop glorifying sleep deprivation. Daily Trojan. https://dailytrojan.com/2019/04/16/opinion-students-must-stop-glorifying-sleep-deprivation/ 

[3] Boulenger JP;Patel J;Post RM;Parma AM;Marangos PJ; Chronic caffeine consumption increases the number of brain adenosine receptors. Life sciences. U.S. National Library of Medicine. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6298543/

[4] Mahoney CR;Giles GE;Marriott BP;Judelson DA;Glickman EL;Geiselman PJ;Lieberman HR; (n.d.). Intake of caffeine from all sources and reasons for use by college students. Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29680166/ 

[5] Opinion: U of T students need to stop normalizing sleep deprivation. The Varsity. (2023, January 15). https://thevarsity.ca/2023/01/14/opinion-u-of-t-students-need-to-stop-normalizing-sleep-deprivation/ 

[6] Trexler, E. (2023, March 23). The Lifter’s Guide to Caffeine • Stronger by science. Stronger by Science. https://www.strongerbyscience.com/caffeine/ 

[7] Walsh C. (2020, August 20). Author Michael Pollan discusses how caffeine changed the world. Harvard Gazette. https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2020/08/author-michael-pollan-discusses-how-caffeine-changed-the-world/ 

[8] Sogari G, Velez-Argumedo C, Gómez MI, Mora C. College students and eating habits: A study using an ecological model for healthy behavior. Nutrients. U.S. National Library of Medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6315356/ 

[9] Food Insecurity Data. State of Rhode Island: Department of Health. https://health.ri.gov/data/healthequity/foodinsecurity/#:~:text=Food%20insecurity%20is%20defined%20as,health%20outcomes%20and%20health%20disparities 

[10] Sun Y, Liu B, Snetselaar LG, Robinson JG, Wallace RB, Peterson LL, et al. (2019, January 23). Association of fried food consumption with all cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality: Prospective cohort study. BMJ (Clinical research ed.). U.S. National Library of Medicine.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6342269/ 

[11] Walker M, van der Helm E. (2009, October). Overnight therapy? the role of sleep in emotional brain processing https://www.researchgate.net/profile/MatthewWalker23/publication/26762657_Overnight_Therapy_The_Role_of_Sleep_in_Emotional_Brain_Processing/links/59a5c32ca6fdcc61fcf9840d/Overnight-Therapy-The-Role-of-Sleep-in-Emotional-Brain-Processing.pdf 

[12] How does sleep affect your heart health? (2021). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure/sleep.htm