Pull up a couch, folks, because it’s best that you are sitting when you read this. I might put you to sleep.

And chances are, even if I were to tell you that President Gary Ransdell is personally financing a petting zoo on the fourth floor of Downing university Center (which he isn’t, though perhaps more people would hang out there if he did), you’d still probably have no trouble taking a siesta.

Because if you’re anything like me right now, you’re tired. And you’re busy. And sleep just doesn’t make the list of your top 14,000 things to do, especially if you’ve got term papers, tests, projects, work and a social life, all of which need your attention and need it now.

If something’s going to give, you reason, it isn’t going to be your awake time because willingly putting yourself in an unconscious state for several hours would simply not be reasonable when the rest of your life depends on how you do now in college.

Yawning yet?

You’re not alone, according to experts at the National Sleep Foundation (yes, there is such a thing), college students are notorious for late nights of studying, partying, talking on the phone and playing to level 1,500 in World of Warcraft. Dr. William C. Dement of Stanford University, a leading researcher on sleep and sleep deprivation, says that in doing such activities through a long period of time-without sleeping in-leads to something he calls “sleep debt.” That is to say, if you require eight hours of sleep each night (most adults require seven to nine), and you’re only getting six, over a week’s time you will have missed out on 14 hours of rest.

In other words, over the course of one week, you’ve missed more than a full night’s rest.

Last week, like many people at this time of the semester, I was swamped. To make sure that I got my three papers finished and that I prepared myself enough for my tests, I decided that I would wake up at 6 a.m. for a couple of mornings instead of staying up super late.

After two days of this and significant caffeine usage (just short of abuse), I went into a self-induced coma for nine hours and missed a class. I have no shame in saying that it was completely worth it.

And according to the National Sleep Foundation, catching enough Z’s means much more than having enough energy to go to class. People who get enough rest are generally happier, less prone to overeating, more productive and easier to get along with.

Though I think the only way for me to get enough sleep is to drop out of school, the NSF did have some good advice. To sleep better, they suggested to exercise regularly (though not in the three hours before bedtime), avoid caffeine and alcohol (we’ll see about that), sleep in a dark, cool environment and establish a relaxing pre-sleep routine such as reading or taking a bath.

I can’t promise that I’ll be following these suggestions, but I’m so tired of being tired that I might have to. And by the yawn I can sense on your face, so might you. Sleep tight! Don’t let the bed bugs bite!