Sleep is a huge part of everyone’s lives. It helps us grow, as well as fight off infections and colds. Not to mention the massive impact it has on our brain and its performance. Grown adults need at least seven to nine hours each night to stay healthy. children need even more than that, especially if they attend school. However, due to stress and daily activities, many students aren’t getting the proper amount of sleep and it shows in their grades. But how bad is it, despite just affecting our brain’s performance?

Teenagers from the ages of 13-18 need about eight to ten hours of sleep each night, according to the CDC’s Healthy Schools article. Less sleep than this can result not only in shorter attention spans but can also lead to major behavioral and health issues down the road. It can also cause heart problems in some people. Sleep relaxes the heart, which gives it a break from stress and allows your body to heal. So not only does sleep deprivation make your body more susceptible to diseases, but it also puts more strain on your heart. 

Now, what does all this mean for high school students and more specifically, Skyline? A significant lack of sleep can lead to many physical and mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety. A Skyline student named Emily Warder had some helpful insight into her sleep schedule, saying that she tends to feel better mentally and physically when she gets more sleep. She said that she also tends to get grumpy when she gets less sleep, as well as occasionally dozing off in class. Some of the medicine she takes tends to affect her sleep schedule as well, saying that, as well as playing video games, tends to keep her awake at later hours in the night.

Overall, sleep is very important. Sleep helps us gain the energy we need for daily activities and other types of physical movement. It helps us to reset and helps to gain the strength we need. Sleep can help improve our moods and help the brain to function properly. Sleep plays an important role in our weight, emotional well-being, blood pressure, and our mental and physical performance. Sleep should be taken more into consideration than just ignoring the help it provides.