Have you ever been in class struggling to keep your eyes from closing, and trying to pay attention, but everything your teacher is saying is just going in one ear and out the other? If you haven’t experienced this, it is likely that you know someone who has. This is the reality for a lot of teenagers, especially those in high school.
Most people disregard lack of sleep as a minor inconvenience, but when it occurs repeatedly, multiple times a week, and affects so many, it becomes a large problem. Almost every high school student has issues surrounding how much sleep they get, and most deal with it everyday. Students very rarely get the full 8-10 hours recommended by professionals.
Sometimes the lack of sleep you may get is out of your control, like having a busy day or having a lot of homework after school, sports, work, and other extracurricular activities. But due to the state of technology in the world we live in, there is another huge factor that is at play.
“Phones are 100% affecting sleep, even for adults. It is very easy to fall down a hole and get obsessed,” says Nurse Nelson, a nurse here at Middletown South High School. We are constantly surrounded by screens, and it is extremely difficult for most to look away for even a second. Our whole world is consumed by a new era of endless access to digital devices, the internet, and social media.
She also goes on to say that studies show that older kids, like high school students, need a later school start time. Nelson recalls how on Monday, December 15, when we had a delayed opening here at Middletown South, all students were much more awake and chipper. It is evident that getting the proper amount of sleep has a large effect on students’ productivity and mood in general.
“Sleep affects every part of life, cell repair, cell regeneration, illness, behavior, ability to cope with stress, sadness, and much more. Some people think an energy drink can replace those 10 hours of sleep needed, but that is not the case,” Nurse Nelson says. As the brain is trying to grow and develop, it needs substantial sleep in order to do this. Also when people are sleep deprived, their performance in school and work is affected, it is extremely hard to pay attention, and repeated sleep deprivation in the long-term can lead to health problems like heart disease and depression.
Not only is it a danger to ourselves, but it can be a danger to those around us since sleep deprivation makes people more prone to errors and accidents, especially on the road. Driving while sleep deprived causes a number of accidents, including ones that turn fatal. 20% of all car crashes are caused by a lack of sleeping properly the night before, according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.
It is evident that both kids and adults need to get the proper, recommended amount of sleep in order to be the best versions of themselves and ensure the health and safety of themselves and others. Prioritizing sleep should be a goal for everyone, as it is one of the main things we need to function and survive.