How Sleep Affects Teens

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As a teen, I definitely know the repeated feeling of stress and fatigue. I’ve heard endless

complaints from peers around me about being exhausted, and it obviously takes away from

learning and our social lives. I decided to research sleep deprivation among teens in our society,

and what we can do to fix this issue. If teens don’t get enough sleep, it can limit their ability to

learn and concentrate, make them forget important information, lead to aggressive behavior,

cause unhealthy eating, and cause weak immune systems. Through my research, I was shocked

when I found that only 15% of teens get the sleep they need, according to the National Sleep

Foundation. This is due to school and homework, extracurricular activities, stress, technology …show more content…
Also, managing time well would help teens get

I struggle with finding a balance to play competitive JO volleyball, finish my homework,

including AP classes, coach house league volleyball, do chores around my house, practice my

instrument for band, spend time with family and still find time to get at least 8 hours of sleep

each night. Because I can personally connect to this issue, my voice is heard through all aspects

of my service learning.

How Does Sleep Deprivation Itself Affect Teens?

Sleep deprivation causes many health issues in teens, in addition to making them feel tired. The

National Sleep Foundation, or NSF, says that teens need at least 8 hours of sleep per night, but

only 15% of teens really get as much sleep as they need (National Sleep Foundation., 2015).

Furthermore, the NSF writes,

Not getting enough sleep or having sleep difficulties can:

 Limit your ability to learn, listen, concentrate and solve problems. You may even forget

important information like names, numbers, your homework or a date with a special

person in your life

 Make you more prone to pimples. Lack of sleep can contribute to acne and other skin

Persuasive Essay On Sleep

she receives 4-6 hours of sleep on a daily basis. Sounds familiar? Well, more than 50% of teens today suffer from sleep deprivation or don’t get the recommended amount of sleep. Factors like schoolwork and full schedules prohibit teens from getting a full eight hours of sleep, affecting their effort in school, driving, and even causing depression. There are numerous things which affect the amount of sleep teens receive. For example, one of the biggest factors of sleep deprivation is schoolwork and…

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Persuasive Essay About Starting School Later

of sleep because after school activities trying to maintain a social life and homework are harder to all balance than people say. starting school later could not only show improvement in grades but also in attitudes in students and teachers. Teens are full of potential, so so tired. Each person has their own need for sleep. This need may vary from person to person Teens are at an important stage of their growth and development. Because this they need more sleep than adults. The average teen needs…

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Should Schools Start Later?

Have you ever been tired in school? Most students are. It mainly depends on how much is going on in their life, or if they have after-school sports. High school students may even have to go to work. This affects how much sleep they receive each night. School times are beginning to start later because they think it will benefit how many hours of sleep teens obtain. Do you think they are correct? Unfortunately, this is a big topic that is still being questioned. Here is the answer: Schools should start…

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High School Life Essay

sports practice, an evening peer ministry session. Arriving home drained, I don’t want to start my homework. The last thing I want to do is more schoolwork, and this is where the procrastination sets in. It’s nearly impossible to avoid it, no matter how hard I try. My body tells me a million things: quit, take a break, go outside, watch T.V., have a snack, text someone. But, I press on. After what can be several hours of hard work and dedication, I finally throw my pencil down, or slam my laptop…

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Why Schools Should Start Later Essay

Teenage Sleep: Schools Delaying Start Time Nine to eight hours of sleep is recommended for teens, yet, “two out of three U.S. high school students sleep less than eight hours on school nights.” Alertness during and after school is vital for students. Getting the right amount of sleep enforces correct healthy behavior for teens. “Five out of six U.S. middle and high schools start the school day before 8:30 A.M.” Recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics, “middle and high schools should aim…

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Why Do Later High School Start Times

students sleep patterns. School start times should be pushed back at least one hour. This will have a positive impact on students academic performance, it will reduce absenteeism and likelihood for tardiness, and it will better their health. Today teens get an average of 7 to 7 ½ hours of sleep when they really need between 9 and 9 ½ hours. This affects their performance in school. Dr. Kyla Wahlstrom surveyed more than 7,000 high schoolers in Minnesota about their sleeping habits and how they affected…

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Why School Should Start Later

common among younger teens. School start times are far too early for middle schoolers and high schoolers because puberty causes “phase delay," along with the natural wake up time pre-teens and teens experience. A reason why school start times shouldn’t be before 8 a.m. is because kids who are going through puberty have a shift in their sleeping patterns they may not be able to control. Dr. Nilong Vyas states, “Around the beginning of puberty, most adolescents experience later sleep onset and wake times…

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Should School Start Later?

Eniola Aramide Studies have shown that within an hour of going to bed, fifty percent of teens watch TV, fifty-five percent of teens use a computer, and fifty-six percent of teens text or use a cell phone. Therefore, school start times aren’t the main reason teens nowadays are always so exhausted in school. According to the articles “Should School Start Later?” by Justin O’Neil, “Teachers Overwhelmingly Oppose Later High School Start Time In Montgomery” by Julie Zauzmer and Dana Hedgpeth, and “Hey…

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Should Schools Avoid Teens To Start Later In School?

National Sleep Foundation only 14% of teens get the recommended 8.5-9.5 hours of sleep. The fact of the matter is that teens aren't getting the recommended amount of sleep they need to function to actually learn in school. This means that teens aren't focusing in school because they are to tired causing them to day dream and wander their eyes around the room. Teens are growing in to adults, which means they need more sleep due to puberty to function. If schools were to start later teens would get…

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Why Teens Should Start Later Essay

7 - 7 ½ hours of sleep every night. However, for adolescents, they need a minimum of 9 - 9 ½ hours of sleep. In the process of puberty, a teen’s sleeping habits can shift naturally so they sleep at a later time. This can be altered even more by the adolescent's choices, but a large cause is their physical changes. The biggest cause of a teenager’s lack of sleep is their schooling schedule. Many adolescents of the ages of 13 - 18 have school at earlier hours which makes them sleep less and get up earlier…

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