ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — Prioritizing sleep for college students and many young adults can often be difficult and in time contribute to a decline in mental health among other issues. One SUNY Brockport professor, Dr. Jack Peltz, is trying to fight back by teaching students and others how to regain their sleep.

“A good night of sleep would be for college students somewhere between 7 to 9 hours,” said Dr. Peltz, and for everyone else: “We would say a minimum of 7 hours,” said Dr. Peltz

Those are the base qualities of getting a good night’s sleep, the other is actually waking up well-rested after sleeping that long.

“College students are not getting enough sleep, which has a tremendous impact on their mental health, their physical health, their academics,” said Dr. Peltz.

Many can find it hard to prioritize sleep especially when they are in college but even as they get out and they live in small studio apartments where you live eat work and have to sleep all in the same area. The lack of a dedicated area to sleep in can be detrimental.

“The college dorm room is not exactly the easiest place to sleep in you have your whole life within the college dorm room there’s so many things begging for your attention. It’s not exactly a place that reminds one that this is where you sleep,” said Dr. Peltz.

Other ways Dr. Peltz has found that help people get to bed include focusing on routine.

“Same way that the sun is set on a 24-hour clock our bodies follow that clock too and so the activities that we do we can create some sort of routine that’s going to help prepare the body to get to sleep,” said Dr. Peltz.

He also pointed out that once you are on a schedule for sleep, a night of good sleep can be that much better.

“Ultimately when sleep is in a good pattern it’s more refreshing,” said Dr. Peltz