By Hasika Avanigadda and Maria Schaefer
How long do you spend studying? What time do you wake up on school days? Do you think teenagers get enough sleep on weekdays? What time do you go to sleep?
After-school activities and homework play a significant role in students’ sleep schedules. Athletics, long commutes, and learning struggles are reasons students aren’t getting enough sleep.
Micheal Crocetti, a pediatrician at Johns Hopkins University, recommends that teenagers get 9-9 ½ hours of sleep. However, according to Nationwide Children’s, teenagers only average 7-7 ¼ hours of sleep per night. That’s two fewer hours than the recommended.
Why aren’t teenagers getting enough sleep?
There are three main reasons.
The first reason is biology. Teens experience hormonal changes that shift the production of melatonin. “That is why your teenager actually seems more awake at midnight than at dinner and, left alone, would probably sleep until ten or eleven,” according to the Child Mind Institute.
The second reason is technology. Screen time before bed is not recommended. But have you ever wondered why that is? It is because the light coming off of electronic devices sends a signal to the brain, which suppresses the production of melatonin. The production of melatonin is what tells your brain it’s time to go to sleep. At least an hour before bedtime is recommended, said health.com.
The third reason is after-school activities. While after-school activities can be fun, they also take up much time. About one and a half to two hours is what Mrs.Hanley, Middle school P.E. Teacher and Health and P.E. Department chair, said about Seven Hills Middle School sports practices. Sports is one of the most common afterschool activities, and on game days, some athletes may get home as late as eight, so if you wake up at 6:30 and get 8 hours of sleep, that leaves two and a half hours to eat dinner and finish homework, which is not a lot of time.
Another thing that affects what time students get home and go to sleep is athletics. According to Grey Meyer, he gets home at “..like 8:30.” That leaves only a couple hours to complete his evening routine. We know sports affect sleep, but it goes the other way, too. “Sleep is more important than people realize,” said Mrs.Hanley. Mrs.Hanley said that a lack of sleep can cause poor performance in sports and academics. It can even lead to a higher risk of injury, according to sleepdoctor.com. One tip Mrs.Hanley has for students is managing their time. “The biggest thing is managing your time and figuring out what you need to do that day, what you need to do a week in advance. Figuring that out and actually sticking with it is important.” Time management doesn’t mean prioritizing your homework first and doing it right after school. “It varies from person to person, and that’s okay,” said Mrs.Hanley. So whether you are like Mrs.Hanley, who used her time after classes to rest, or like Sammi Cross, an 8th-grade learning lab student who uses her homeroom to finish homework, it doesn’t matter. Just use your time wisely, but don’t over-stress yourself. “Trying to be disciplined in that regard I think is the biggest thing,” Mrs.Hanley said.
Some students need extra help with schoolwork, which is where Learning Lab comes in. Learning lab can also have a positive effect on sleep. Learning Lab in 8th grade is an 80-minute class that meets every other day and is run by Mrs. Kahn. Mrs. Kahn said this about the learning lab: “Learning Lab is designed to provide students with individualized learning support, including study skills, time management skills, and academic support.” Learning Lab is very helpful for students because they can get their work done at school.
“I love Learning Lab because Mrs. Kahn is really nice to me and my friends help each other out,” Sammi Cross, an 8th grade learning lab student with ADHD, said.
Kids in Learning Lab may have a more challenging time with school. Some reasons that may affect their school work are ADHD, Dyslexia, and Executive function disorder. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a Medical condition that includes three main symptoms: inattentiveness, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. ADHD is noticeable more than its counterpart, ADD (which also affects students being focused and avoiding distractions). ADHD can play a significant role in students’ education. Sammi Cross said it takes her around one to one and a half hours to get her homework done. “I think I can get my homework done so quick is because of Learning Lab and help from Mrs. Kahn,” said Sammi Cross. Learning Lab helps a lot of students finish homework and manage time. Because students are getting their homework done at school, they can do fun things after school and hopefully get to bed at a reasonable time.
Sports, theater, chorus, and math class are our struggles, but have you ever thought about the teachers? Mrs. Suer, the 7th grade Earth Science teacher, lives all the way out in the West side, and with kids having school and activities in the East side, it can be a challenge. “We don’t go home,” Mrs.Suer joked about the days her kids have activities.
She said that her kids take the shuttle to the Hillsdale campus, and they stay there until activities start. “We don’t get home until 8:35 many nights,” said Mrs.Suer.
Mrs. Suer drives back and forth from wrestling practices and Irish dancing for her kids. This causes her to use creative methods to grade papers. “I just sit [at her daughter’s activities] because, again, there is no reason to drop her off and come back. She has an hour-long practice, so I just sit in my car and grade in my car.” And not all assignments take the same amount of time. “The labs are the longest for me,” said Mrs.Suer. Mrs.Suer practices good time management by using extra time to finish work.
Getting to school is a challenge not only for Mrs.Suer but for other students, too. Many Seven Hills students live in Mason. “It takes me about one hour and 25 minutes to reach home”, said Aashri Parekh, a 7th grader. Transportation is often an obstacle, but long drives can also be beneficial. Aashri said it’s a good idea to download all worksheets to Notability before the bus ride. She also said that reading a book is an excellent thing to do. The bus is an excellent time to do homework, but it isn’t always the best environment for everyone. “The bus is quite noisy at times,” said Aashri. Some people prefer less bumpy and quieter learning spaces.
Some tips Mrs.Suer has for her students are using study halls and taking good notes. Another tip includes using calendar apps like MyHomework or the Apple Calendar to track assignment due dates. Also, finding a good learning space for yourself helps you focus and finish homework at a reasonable time. Lastly, understanding how you learn best and what works for you is the most important way of learning.
“I think being involved in after-school activities is important. Having a busier schedule and limited time for school work really helps with efficiency and motivation,” said Mrs.Kahn.
Footnotes
https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/specialties/sleep-disorder-center/sleep-in-adolescents
https://www.sleepfoundation.org/teens-and-sleep/student-athletes-sleep-time#:~:text=Physical%20discomfort%3A%20Vigorous%20evening%20practices,may%20also%20affect%20sleep%20qualityhttps://sleepdoctor.com/children/sleep-and-athletic-performance/