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Center for College Sleep

Thank you for your interest in The Center for College Sleep. The University of St. Thomas has decided to discontinue the external facing work of the Center to better align with internal strategic priorities. The Center for College Sleep, the College Sleep Questionnaire and the College Sleep Environmental Scan will no longer be available as external resources.

The American College Health Association identified poor sleep as one of its top health concerns for students and cited better sleep as one of five key benchmarks for improving academic success for its 2020 Healthy Campus campaign. Our own research has found that the detrimental effect of poor sleep on GPA is on par with marijuana use and binge drinking (Hartmann & Prichard, 2014). Poor sleep does more than hinder academic success; insufficient sleep causes accidents, impairs decision-making, and exacerbates psychological and physiological illnesses.

The Center for College Sleep is funded by the University of St. Thomas College of Arts and Sciences and Student Affairs.

Our Mission

The mission of the Center for College Sleep is to better understand and improved college sleep by providing rigorous research, educational outreach, and innovative programming.

Publications and Presentations

  • Prichard JR. (2019) "Causes and Consequences of Sleep Disruption: Implications for Accurate Diagnoses and Effective Treatment Plans." Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine Annual Conference. Platform Presentation. March, 2019.
  • Prichard, JR. (2019) "The Importance of College Sleep: Connections to Mental and Physical Health, Retention, and Academic Success Depression on College Campuses." Annual Conference. March, 2019 Ann Arbor, MI.
  • Prichard JR, Heininger W, Breeland-Noble A. (2019) “Innovative Strategies to Welcome, Engage, and Support Students who are Traditionally Less Likely to Seek Mental Healthcare” American College Health Association Annual Conference. Denver, CO. May 2019
  • Wolfe E*, Prichard JR. (2019) "Using Theory of Planned Behavior to Assess Sleep Intentions and Behaviors of Collegiate Athletes." Poster Presentation at the SLEEP Annual Conference. San Antonio, TX. (May, 2019)
  • Cunningham, B, McDermott M., Prichard JR. (2019) "Sleep: A Powerful Modifiable Risk Factor for Mental Health. Ideas for Assessment, Health Promotion, and Culture Change. NASPA Strategies Mental Health." January 2019.
  • Rosenau P*, Berg S, Prichard JR. (2019) "Analysis of a National Sample of Undergraduates with ADHD Reveals Significant Well-Being Concerns Unaddressed by Current Treatment." Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine Annual Conference. Poster Presentation. March 2019.
  • Goddin A, Prichard JR. (2018) "Sleep Disturbances Across Sexual Orientations and Gender Identities: Implications for Academic Success and Emotional Wellbeing." NIH Sleep and Women’s Health Conference. 2018, Bethesda, MD.
  • Cunningham B, Prichard JR, Weinholzer G. (2017) "Attacking the Roadway Zombies." Program presentation. St. Paul River Centre. Minnesota Toward Zero Deaths Conference. St. Paul, MN. October, 2017
  • Prichard JR, Cunningham B, (2017) “Making the Connection Between Sleep and Mental Health, Academic Success and Retention.” Program presentation. Boynton Health, University of Minnesota. Continuing Medical Education. Minneapolis, MN. September, 2017.
  • Cunningham B, Hornung C, Prichard JR, Scibora L. (2017) “Cell Phone Use: A Mediating Factor of Undergraduate Health and Wellness. ACHA 2017 Annual Conference. Austin, TX. June, 2017.
  • Prichard JR, Goddin, A. (2017) “Sleep Disturbances Across Sexual Orientations and Gender Identities in College Students: Implications for Mental Health and Academic Success.” Program presentation. ACHA 2017 Annual Conference. Austin, TX. May, 2017.
  • Prichard JR, Cunningham B. (2017) “Making the Connection Between Sleep and Mental Health, Academic Success and Retention.” Program presentation. NCAA – Interassociation Task Force on Sleep and Wellness. Indianapolis, IN. May, 2017.
  • Prichard JR, Cunningham B, Broek L, Hartman M. (2016) “The Importance of College Sleep: Connections to Mental Health, Retention and Academic Success.” Program presentation. NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education Region IV-W/E Conference. St. Louis, MO. November, 2016.
  • Prichard JR, Cunningham B, Broek L. (2016) “Is Your Campus Sleep-Friendly? An Environmental Sleep Scan for Residential Colleges.” Program presentation. New York State College Health Association Annual Meeting. Syracuse, NY. October, 2016.
    Prichard JR, Cunningham B, McDermott M. (2016) “Sleep Disturbances in Mental Illness and Sleep Practices for Mental Wellness.” Program presentation. American College Health Association Annual Meeting. San Francisco, CA. June, 2016.
  • Prichard, JR. (2016) “Sleep in Adolescence: Connections to Wellness, Resilience, and Mental Health.” Oral presentation. Annual Minnesota Child & Adolescent Mental Health Conference. Duluth, MN. April, 2016.
  • Larrabee KC, Prichard JR. (2016) “Prevalence and Quality of Life Correlates Of Insomnia and Other Sleep Disorders in a National Sample of College Students.” Poster presentation. Annual Meeting for the Sleep Research Society. Denver, CO. June, 2016. Abstract published in SLEEP, Volume 39, Abstract Supplement, 2016.
  • Prichard, JR “Addressing Our Children’s Sleep Debt.” TEDx University of St. Thomas. Theme: Taking action to reimagine education. April, 2014.
  • Cunningham B, Broek L. (2015) “Is Your Campus Sleep-Friendly? An Environmental Sleep Scan for Residential Colleges.” Program presentation. North Central College Health Association Annual Meeting. La Crosse, WI. October, 2015.
  • Steele CS, Prichard JR.  (2015) “Perceived behavioral control as a predictor of sleep problems in college students.” Poster presentation. Annual Meeting for the Sleep Research Society in Seattle, WA. June, 2015. Abstract published in SLEEP, Volume 38, Abstract Supplement, 2015.
  • Prichard JR. (2015) “Causes and consequences of sleep deprivation in adolescence: How clinicians can help.” Program presentation. Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine Conference. Los Angeles, CA. March, 2015.
  • Tarter A, Prichard JR. “The invisible variable: Sleepiness and suicidality in a large national college health survey.” Poster presentation. Society for Neuroscience Annual Conference. Washington, DC. November, 2014.
  • Prichard JR, Hartmann ME. “What is the cost of poor sleep for college students? Calculating the contribution to academic failures using a large national sample.” Program presentation. Annual SLEEP Conference. Minneapolis, MN. June, 2014. Abstract published in SLEEP, Volume 37, Abstract Supplement, 2014.
  • Kelly CK, Prichard JR. (2014) “The College Sleep Questionnaire: Structure and initial psychometric properties”. Program presentation. Annual SLEEP Conference. Minneapolis, MN. June, 2014. Abstract published in SLEEP, Volume 37.
  • Boehm MA, Lei QM, Prichard JR. (2014) “Depression, insomnia, and nicotine: Overlapping impediments to sleep in a national sample of college students.” Poster presentation. Annual SLEEP Conference. Minneapolis, MN. June, 2014. Abstract published in SLEEP, Volume 37.
  • Prichard JR, Kelly CK, Cunningham BJA, Broek L. (2014) “Introducing the College Sleep Questionnaire: A New Pilot-Tested Formative Assessment of Student Sleep.” Program presentation. American College Health Association Annual Meeting. San Antonio, TX. May, 2014.
  • Prichard JR, Kelly CK, Cunningham B, Broek L. (2014)“Is Your Campus Sleep-Friendly? A Pilot Environmental Sleep Scan for Residential Colleges.” Program presentation. American College Health Association Annual Meeting. San Antonio, TX. May, 2014.
  • Prichard JR, Cunningham B. (2013) “Enhancing college student sleep: Programming strategies that could work on your campus.” Program presentation. American College Health Association Annual Meeting. Boston, MA. June, 2013.
  • Prichard JR, Kelly CK. (2013) “Energy drinks on college campuses: Motivations, risky behaviors and health”. Program presentation. American College Health Association Annual Meeting. Boston, MA. May, 2013.
  • Prichard JR, Cunningham B. (2012) “College student sleep: problems and pathways to successful interventions.”  Program presentation. American College Health Association Annual Meeting. Chicago, IL. June, 2012.
  • Prichard JR, Cunningham B. (2012) “Academic stress, social trauma, and disturbed sleep in a large population of college students: Interconnections and health implications.” Poster presentation. Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine Annual Meeting. New Orleans, LA. March, 2012.
  • Prichard JR, Lund HG. (2011) "Gender differences in college student sleep: Emergent patterns of stress and mood disruptions in women." Program presentation. Associated Professional Sleep Societies Annual Meeting. Minneapolis, MN. Sleep Vol. 34. June, 2011.
  • Prichard JR, Dada-Samuel J. (2010) "Seasonality, mood and sleep quality in college students in a northern latitude." Poster presentation. Society for Light Treatment and Biological Rhythms Annual Meeting. Vienna, Austria. Chronobiology International Vol. 28. July, 2010.
  • Reider BD, Prichard JR. (2007)  "Profile of sleep quality, light exposure, mood, and academic performance in university students." Poster presentation. Society for Light Treatment and Biological Rhythms Annual Meeting. Copenhagen, Denmark. July, 2007. Chronobiology International Vol. 24, No. 6. 2007.

Why Sleep Matters

  • More than two-thirds of students experience significant problems with excessive drowsiness.
  • More than a third of students fall asleep in class at least once a week.
  • 56.8% get “enough sleep to feel rested” at most only 3 nights a week.
  • 20% pull “all-nighters” at least once a month.
  • One quarter of US college students describe their sleep problems as “traumatic or difficult to handle.”
  • Each additional day per week on average a student experienced sleep problems raises the probability of dropping a course by 10% and lowers the cumulative GPA by .02.
  • US college students with excessive sleepiness are twice as likely to abuse prescription drugs.
  • A person with insufficient sleep is 9 times more likely to experience depression and 17 times more likely to experience anxiety symptoms.
  • A student experiencing sleep difficulties is 3.7 times more likely to seriously consider suicide than a student with healthy sleep.
  • A student diagnosed with insomnia is 11 times more likely to have attempted suicide than a student without an insomnia diagnosis.
  • 85% of U.S. college students with sleep problems have not received help from their university health services.

News and Interviews

Many college-bound students start out with dreadful sleep habits that are likely to get worse once the rigorous demands of courses and competing social and athletic activities kick in.

Published: August 13, 2018

By: Jane E. Brody, New York Times

Read the article: An Underappreciated Key to College Success: Sleep

A 30 minute podcast interview with Dr. Roxanne Prichard and Emmy-award winning sports journalist, Jack Ford. They discuss sleep and it's affect on athletic performance, with highlights from the January NCAA Champion magazine article, The College Sports Guide to Better Sleep – You Snooze, You Win.

Published: May 18, 2018

By: College Sports Insider with Jack Ford

Listen to: NCAA College Sports Insider with Jack Ford - podcast interview

Quality sleep impacts GPAs, lowers the number of dropped classes, and on the field it speeds reaction times and decreases injury risk. Learn how college athletes can get more of it.

Published: January 16, 2018

By: Amy Wimmer Schwarb, NCAA Champion Magazine

Dr. Roxanne Prichard and the Center for College Sleep are working to help universities figure out how to help their students get better sleep.

Published: November 7, 2017

By: Jana Shortal, KARE 11

The Center for College Sleep aims to increase awareness of sleep’s impact on every aspect of college students’ lives, not just at St. Thomas.

Published: October 27, 2017 

By: Jordan Osterman, Newsroom

Dr. Roxanne Prichard and Dr. Carol Bruess spoke with the Mid-Morning crew about what science says about sleep and how it affects relationships.

Published: October 18, 2017

By: WCCO Mid-Morning

It’s not news that college students aren’t always getting good sleep, but the Center for College Sleep at the University of St. Thomas is discovering that this lack of good sleep has real impacts on student success.

Published: June 1, 2017

By: Tom Lancaster, Minnesota Private Colleges Newsletter

Read the article: You don't snooze, you lose

The NCAA Sport Science Institute is working to ensure that student-athletes also are paying attention to a facet of their lives they may overlook for the sake of busy schedules: sleep. Among the task force presenters was Roxanne Prichard, associate professor of psychology at St. Thomas (Minnesota) and the scientific director of the university’s Center for College Sleep.

Published: May 10, 2017

By: Amy Wimmer Schwarb / NCAA.com

Read the article: NCAA Convenes Sleep and Wellness Summit

Getting plenty of shut-eye can improve academic and maybe even athletic performance.

Published: December 7, 2016

By: Kevyn Burger/Minneapolis Star Tribune

Read the article: How University of St. Thomas students are sleeping their way to better grades

If you wake up because your body has had enough rest, and not because you heard the alarm clock, you are doing it right. That’s the message that two sleep evangelists at the University of St. Thomas are bringing to college students across the country.

Published: November 15, 2016

By: Sleep Review, the Journal for Sleep Specialists

Read the article: Psychology Professor, Wellness Director Launch University of St. Thomas Center for College Sleep

Excessive drowsiness is experienced by more than two-thirds of college students nationwide. This report cites research conducted by University of St. Thomas professor, and Center for College Sleep Scientific Director, Roxanne Prichard, along with Monica Hartmann, professor or economics. See pages 13-14 of the 73-page Governors Highway Safety Association report.

Published: August 8, 2016

By: Governors Highway Safety Association

Read the article: Wake Up Call! Understanding Drowsy Driving and What States Can Do About It

Seventy percent of college students don't get enough sleep.  Dr. Prichard shares four tips on how to sleep better at school.

Published: June 14, 2016

By: Huffington Post

Do you wake up feeling tired? Yawn throughout the day? Or reach for that cup of joe?

Published: May 24, 2016

By: Jennifer Mayerle/CBS Minnesota

Read the article: How we sabotage our sleep

The Huffington Post interviews Dr. Prichard of the Center for College Sleep in their story of the misuse of caffeine on college campuses.

Published: May 20, 2016

By: Huffington Post

Watch the video: How caffeine is misused on college campuses

A highlight of Dr. Prichard's research on sleep and the development of the College Sleep Questionnaire.

Published: May 18, 2016

By: Monica Hartmann and J. Roxanne Prichard/St. Thomas Newsroom

When she became a college professor, J. Roxanne Prichard saw that most of her students had one characteristic in common. “I noticed right away how tired they all ...

Published: May 4, 2016

By: Andy Steiner/MinnPost

Read the article: New Center for College Sleep says a good night’s rest is key to better mental health

That's a choice nobody should ever have to make. And that's why I'm thrilled to announce The Huffington Post's Sleep Revolution College Tour, coming this ...

Published: March 21, 2016

By: Arianna Huffington/Huffington Post

Read the article: Announcing the Sleep Revolution College Tour