Whether you're a night owl or an early bird, you can never put too much emphasis on a good night of sleep. If this isn't your first year here, you probably agree with that statement — you know that life and work in school can be very difficult and demanding of your schedule.

The effects of sleep deprivation are serious and diminish mental performance, indicated Mark Mahowald, a Professor of Neurology at the University of Minnesota Medical School. "One complete night of sleep deprivation is as impairing in simulated driving tests as a legally intoxicated blood-alcohol level."

While you're going to pull a few all-nighters duriny your time at school, it's important to return to scheduled sleep as soon as you can. Studies out of the Franklin Institute of Philadelphia, P.A., show that sleep is no less important to the body than air, water and food.

According to KidsHealth.org, the body produces melatonin later at night for teens than it does for children or adults. Melatonin is the brain hormone that induces sleep, and it has a lot to do with one's circadian rhythm (also known as the internal clock). Chances are, your body may just not feel tired until later at night.

Now that you're in college, though, your body may be ready to change again. In time, the release of melatonin will happen earlier, and it will be far easier to get to sleep. So if you're one of those individuals who can't fall asleep until 3 a.m., there's good news coming your way, biologically.

Whether you stay up late every night or not doesn't matter; truthfully speaking, your schedule is going to change and shift a lot for classes, sports, part-time jobs and the like. What does matter, though, is the quality of the sleep you get, and making each hour of sleep count. Keep sleep, and a couple of these points, in mind while considering your routine.

- Try to get to sleep at the same time every night. Further, try to wake up at the same time every day, too. This goes a long way toward setting that internal clock and preparing your body in such a routine will help you to get to a deeper sleep, faster.

- Exercise regularly. It's best not to exercise immediately before sleeping because your body will have built up adrenaline and hormones. For a more restful sleep, you should exercise at least three hours before sleep. It could even improve the quality of the sleep you get.

- Avoid stimulants like sugar and caffeine. It really does make a difference, so it's best to carve out a bit of a routine with these, too. Perhaps try to limit coffee or sodas to mealtimes, and drink water in the evening before bed.

- Avoid bright lights before bed, but turn them on when you wake up. Light signals the brain and body that it's time to be awake, so a lot of bright or light sources like TVs or computer screens can work to keep you up when you want to unwind. Because you might share a dorm with someone, you might also want to consider a sleep mask. And earplugs.

- Take only short naps, and avoid all-nighters when you can. Studies have shown that sleeping in excess of 20 to 30 minutes at a time can actually leave you feeling groggy instead of rested, because your body slips into a deep sleep instead of a restorative one. All-nighters can have a profound effect on your overall health, too, especially your susceptibility to stress. If you keep regular sleeping habits, you will bounce back from them without too much trouble.