There’s no doubt that sleep is incredibly important in maintaining both mental and physical health. Ideally, work is done two hours before going to bed, as is time on screens, allowing it to be easy to wake up in the morning without hitting the snooze button. However, as a high school student, this can be easier said than done.

The reality is, a majority of students suffer from sleep deprivation which can lead to poor performance in school, behavior problems and/or health problems. “I would say 60% of kids are getting six or less hours of sleep,” says Mrs. Florio, a Health Teacher.

Whether this is because of sports, studying, or other causes, sleep deprivation ends up having lasting effects. Early on, it can lead to difficulties paying attention, but consistently getting too little sleep can lead to chronic health problems like heart and kidney disease.

Georgia Constantin ‘24 blames procrastination for lack of sleep and says that in order to get more rest, she will have to “organize her time better.” Lara Granucci ’24 shares a similar plan and says that “knowing when you have to submit a small assignment late to go to sleep just a bit earlier” is key.

Even for those who feel swamped by school and extracurriculars, getting more sleep is still an option. The best way to do so is by creating a bedtime routine. Whether this happens at 8pm or midnight, a routine will make it easier to fall asleep. For example, setting a curfew for phones and listening to quiet music tend to calm people down. Building habits by making time for a relaxing activity like reading or spending time with a pet each night can be fun while also helping the body expect sleep. 

Sometimes there’s nothing else to do but go to bed. Granucci says she has to “prioritize sleeping over some homework assignments” because she knows she’ll “do and feel better because of it.”

Mrs. Florio agrees. “I think a lot of kids are faced with this dilemma: do I stay up late and cram for my test or do I put the book away and go to bed? You will do better on your test if you put your book away and you get a really good night’s sleep instead of staying up late.”