Associated Students of the University of Arizona Senators are reaching out to accumulate student opinions about a rest center in the university’s main library, hoping to work with the library to create a space for students to rest during the day.
Senator Lorenzo Johnson, a sophomore studying philosophy, politics, economics and law, has been collaborating with the library to help cultivate a plan for the center.
“There is plenty of research that supports the notion that sleep and academic performance are correlated,” Johnson said. “Also with the University of Arizona having so many students who commute from afar to campus, it makes it impractical for many to leave to take a nap.”
Johnson is currently working on a survey for students to fill out to evaluate support for the proposal. Questions are related to how often a student falls asleep or take naps on campus and in class, how many hours of sleep he or she gets a night and if he or she believes sleep affects academic performance.
Johnson said the student reaction to this idea has been overwhelmingly positive. During an initial survey with 168 responses, he said 91 percent of students would use a rest center.
Johnson heard about a similar set up at the University of Michigan when he was speaking with his aunt who works for the university’s library. The nap stations opened at University of Michigan in 2014.
During his research, Johnson found several other schools already implementing the sleeping areas for students, including the University of California Berkeley and the University of Miami.
Johnson then discussed this idea of a napping area with ASUA President Michael Finnegan.
As of now, Johnson is working with the library to create a rest center. In the future, he plans on drafting a budget proposal and, if approved, beginning the initial stages of installation.
Johnson said the look of the space and whether it has trendy nap pods or cots and couches is still left to be decided. The plan is to have enough space for five to 20 students depending on the size of the budget.
A poor night of sleep can affect memory, judgment and mood, according to the American Psychological Association website. Younger adults have reported feeling stressed because of their lack of sleep, which can lead to sadness or depression.
With the rest center, students will be able to re-energize throughout the day. This can help students operate at full academic potential, Johnson said. The space provides students with a quiet place to take a nap for an hour or less.
The survey is still available for students to provide their opinion.
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