Homework: Because 7 Hours of School Isn’t Already Enough

1341 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Significance of Sleep Deprivation to Senior High School Students

Did you know that the average high school student in today’s society has the same levels of anxiety as a psychiatric patient in the 1950s? According to psychologist Robert Leahy, school these days can get a little tough– especially when most students’ first response to a heavy backpack full of homework is to worry over whether or not it can be done. In the past decade, Leahy and other psychologists have noticed a steady nationwide increase in the amount of stress caused by schoolwork among high school students (Slate Magazine). What does this mean for tomorrow’s leaders and future generations of dignitaries? Scientists have concluded that sleep deprivation, long-term health problems, and declining overall academic achievement are lasting effects of homework-related stress on the average student, and they should not be ignored.
One of the most prevalent effects of stress on the average high school student is sleep deprivation. Whether procrastination holds a student hostage on the edge of a due date, or the student is merely overwhelmed by a looming tower of books and binders, pressure caused by homework deadlines can eventually lead to difficulty sleeping and potential insomnia. According to the National Sleep Foundation, stress is an immediate factor to “hyperarousal” in the human brain, which can “upset the balance between sleep and wakefulness” when one is trying to sleep. Therefore, students who are constantly worrying about upcoming tests or assignments are easy prey to this type of stress-related impediment, and they may have trouble falling asleep on the eve of a big presentation. Apart from the psychological effects, however, students may also lose sleep when they are pressured to complete lengthy assignments. Som...

... middle of paper ...

...east-cancer/news/20030924/does-stress-cause-breast-cancer>.
8. Smith, Melinda, M.A., Joanna Saisan, M.S.W., and Jeanne Segal, Ph.D. "Depression Symptoms & Warning Signs: Recognize Depression Symptoms & Get Help.” HelpGuide.org. n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2013. .
9. "Stress and Insomnia." Stress & Insomnia: Help & Reasons. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Dec. 2013. .
10. Tartakovsky, Margarita, M.S. "Depression and Anxiety Among College Students | Psych Central." PsychCentral.com. N.p., 2008. Web. 01 Dec. 2013. .
11. "Teens and Sleep." Sleep for Teenagers. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2013. .

Show More
Related

  • College Pressures By William Zinsser

    1735 Words  | 4 Pages

    The first major step in healing America’s exhausted teenagers is to reduce the amount of homework they receive. Kids from the ages of fourteen to twenty-two alike are expected to play sports, join clubs, and hang out with friends – all on top of an average of three and a half hours of h...

    Read More

  • Overachievers: The Detriments of Overworking in High School

    1582 Words  | 4 Pages

    In Alexandra Robbins’ book The Overachievers, she makes the astute claim that high school students today are incredibly overworked, leading to severe detriments to their quality of life. As a student in highschool, I am inclined to agree with this claim, especially since Robbins uses clear evidence and ideas to support her assertion. Three of Robbins’ most important ideas regarding this subject matter are as follows. First, she claims that testing has become a business that doesn’t genuinely help the modern student. Next, she claims that chronic sleep deprivation is a huge health concern that affects even the best students. Finally, she claims that the high pressure schooling system has created damaging binaries amongst students. These reasons

    Read More

  • Excessive Dependence on Homework in American Schools

    740 Words  | 2 Pages

    "I didn’t feel [stressed] until I was in my 30’s. It hurts my feelings that my daughter feels that way at eleven" (Ratnesar 313). This statement describes the intense issue facing the American Education System today. More and more students are spending a lot of out of school time on enormous amounts of homework. The overabundance of homework is putting pressure on the students, along with their parents. Our nation has steadily focused on after school studying to the point of possible exhaustion. In this paper, I will attempt to explain how educators are relying on homework as the major form of education, and how the amounts are too demanding on the students.

    Read More

  • Sleep Deprivation Essay

    1727 Words  | 4 Pages

    Another reason that causes the negative relationship between sleep deprivation and academic performance is the impact of high-stress level that is caused by sleep deprivation. As mentioned earlier, sleep deprivation could decrease a student’s critical thinking and problem-solving skills. However, it can also make the students feel more stressful. According to the survey conducted in Ball State campus, there are 15 students that often do their homework before they go to bed. 10 students play video games, computer games, and mobile games before they go to sleep. 8 students use their electronic devices to do social activities. 5 students watch movies and television series and 2 students read books before they go to bed. This information proves

    Read More

  • The Case Against Homework: How Much is Too Much Homework

    1063 Words  | 3 Pages

    Many students who feel the pressure to succeed at the high school level have an unhealthy amount of stress. Students who feel this have been cheating, pulling all nighters, becoming depressed, and seeking relief in drug use, and self mutilation. On average in a recent study at Illinois high school students spend 3.07 hours of homework each night on just homework not including extra curricular activities(Jerushapope,2). Also in this high school students reported getting 6.8 hours of sleep each night, but 34.6% reported getting 6 or fewer hours of sleep(Jerushapope,2). Most high school students spend 2 hours of extra curricular activity each night thats not including homework so after those activities you have to come home and do homework and then you will not have a lot of time to sleep. Also most kids do not get a lot of time to spend with their parents during the weeknights. Some kids cannot even make it to the dinner table because they have so much homework and that is not healthy for the parents and their childs relationship. In ...

    Read More

  • Health And Personal Health: The Dimensions Of Health

    720 Words  | 2 Pages

    My physical health is the dimension I’ve chosen that requires a beneficial change. Within this dimension, changing my sleeping habits is my main goal. According to Hershner and Chervin (2014), irregular sleep patterns and sleepiness have a negative impact on a student’s performance, memory, and on their ability to learn

    Read More

  • Sleep Deprivation Among College Students

    2230 Words  | 5 Pages

    Sleeping is something that is an essential part of human nature and is a must in order for one to be a functional human being. Sleep is an idea that is accompanied by many wives’ tales, including the ideas that one needs seven to eight hours of sleep each night and alcohol helps one fall asleep and sleep more soundly. One myth about sleep is that during sleeping, one is in a state of nothingness. In truth, however, it has been discovered that during sleep the brain is active, variations in heartbeat and breathing occur, and the eyes and ears are active throughout the time of sleep. These activities during a person’s sleep are important because they help that person be more aware, awake, and alert during consciousness. If all of these important activities occur during sleep, why is it that people are so willing to short themselves of this vital activity? Although much about sleep still remains a mystery, research and experiments continue to show how important sleep is to each and every person. Throughout this paper, I will discuss sleep and the effects that it has on performance and health, especially in college students. A college student’s sleeping pattern is a reliable indicator to their level of performance in the classroom and other school-affiliated activities, as a lack of sleep leads to decreased performance. Sleep is directly related the level of performance and health in an individual; the more rested a person is, the better that person will perform and feel (Dryer, 2006).

    Read More

  • Why There Should Be No Homework

    830 Words  | 2 Pages

    Many parents are also bothered over the force of homework on the connection between their kids and teens.... ... middle of paper ... ... Think about how much homework we’ve done since we were in kindergarten, how many times we’ve stayed up and woke up half-awake, how many times we’ve kept others awake, and how much paper we’ve wasted. If you think that is a lot, think of all of the students around the world doing the same.

    Read More

  • Depression and anxiety among college students

    1096 Words  | 3 Pages

    The 'Secondary' of the 'Secondary "College Depression: causes, duration, and coping. " Psychological Reports 77 (3): 858. The "Statistics About College Depression | World of Psychology. " Psych Central - Trusted mental health, depression, bipolar, ADHD and psychology information.

    Read More

  • Depression Among College Students

    2001 Words  | 5 Pages

    College students face strenuous workloads daily, causing them to feel more pressure about their schoolwork and academics and resulting in anxiousness. About 50% of college students today are suffering from depression, a larger number than most believe, but not all reveal that they have a depressive issue (Deroma, Leach, Leverett 325). Researchers suggest that academic stress plays a big role in a college student’s depression. Most people know that college is a lot harder than high school ...

    Read More

  • Essay On Lack Of Sleep

    1137 Words  | 3 Pages

    A survey was done to find out that “stress might be getting in the way of sleep”. The survey was towards young adults who received less than the required amount of sleep, which is seven to nine hours of sleep a night. These adults received roughly 6.7 hours of sleep a night. A majority of the group reported that stress caused them to not be able to get a good nights rest. They would lie on their bed, wide-awake and have their minds running constantly thinking and

    Read More

  • Today's Homework Stress

    639 Words  | 2 Pages

    Today, many students report more anxiety due to stress than child psychiatric patients did in the 1950’s. In a 2006 survey of 1,300 students at a public high school in Needham, Massachusetts found that 58% of the students surveyed reported between a great deal of stress and extreme stress due to homework (Bennett and Kalish). Many students in today’s time, have so many things to do that it is difficult for them to come home, only to have to finish five to six hours of homework. This, with the added effects of after school activities and technology, only adds to the stress that is put on students.

    Read More

  • Why we should have enough sleep

    551 Words  | 2 Pages

    Sleep plays a vital role in a person’s mental well-being. Sleeping affects how well people think, react, work, learn, and get along with others. While a person is sleeping, his brain is preparing to help him learn and remember information. A good night’s sleep enhances learning and problem solving skills. It is very important for the students to have sound sleep as it can improve their concentration, memory and creativity. Furthermore, having enough sleep increases the ability to m...

    Read More

  • Stress Among College Students

    1000 Words  | 2 Pages

    College is a time of extreme stress due to societal and parental pressures. College students have expectations they have to live up to in order to fulfill and satisfy the needs of both their parents and society. Stress is expressed through a variety of symptoms that can be hazardous to student’s physical and mental health. With such high expectations to do well during college, students may become sleep deprived, which impairs mental capacity, but sleep deprivation is only one of a vast array of symptoms. Stress is present in all aspects of life and there are multiple causes of stress, especially, during the college period which may present itself through many symptoms, but with stress, there are also various coping methods to help students deal with it.

    Read More

  • The Causes and Effects of Pressure on Students to Get Good Grades

    1375 Words  | 3 Pages

    Are the new standards and expectations the world has for teenagers really creating monsters? The amount of stress that is put on students these days between trying to balance school, homework, extra curricular activities, social lives, sleep and a healthy lifestyle is being considered a health epidemic (Palmer, 2005). Students are obsessing over getting the grades that are expected of them to please those that push them, and in return, lose sleep and give up other aspects of their lives that are important to them, such as time with friends and family, as well as activities that they enjoy. The stress that they endure from the pressures of parents, teachers, colleges, and peers has many physical as well as mental effects on every student, some more harmful than others. The extreme pressure on students to get perfect grades so that they will be accepted into a college has diminished the concept of actually learning and has left the art of “financing the system” in order to succeed in its place (Palmer, 2005).

    Read More

More about Homework: Because 7 Hours of School Isn’t Already Enough

Open Document