Persuasive Essay On Lack Of Sleep

1141 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Students Academic Performance And Sleep Deprivation

Students need eight to ten hours of sleep each night to function to their best ability. Unfortunately, over 87 percent of high school students get much less than the recommended amount. (Neal). As a teen myself who gets nine hours of sleep per night, I can definitely see how I am in the minority. I have a first period class with a lot of my friends and most of them do not show up consistently. This is because they do not get to sleep until around midnight, which leaves them with only seven hours of sleep. They then are too tired to come in and miss the class altogether. Poor attendance in school is just one of many effects that a lack of sleep that have. Since sleep deprivation among teens often leads to dangerous health problems, getting more rest should be made a top priority. …show more content…

Almost nine in ten teens are making themselves vulnerable to endless health risks just to stay up later at night. As Ruthann Richter claims, “Sleep deprivation increases the likelihood teens will suffer myriad negative consequences, including an inability to concentrate, poor grades, drowsy-driving incidents, anxiety, depression, thoughts of suicide and even suicide attempts.” Obviously, when a student is overtired in the morning, they will not be able to adequately function at school. As for the mental health risks, lack of sleep starts a dangerous, life-threatening pattern. Once a teen is depressed, anxious, or is thinking of harming themselves due to sleep deprivation, it’s tremendously hard to get them out from that rut. These illnesses that started from a lack of sleep will now prevent them from resting. When this happens, their condition will just continue to decline until it is irreversible. We cannot allow our friends and peers to slip into this life of despair just because they 're wasting valuable time late at

Show More
Related

  • Overachievers: The Detriments of Overworking in High School

    1582 Words  | 4 Pages

    It is true that sleep deprivation is a widespread issue, generally resulting from early start times. It is also a serious one; according to a study by Harvard Medical School, sleep deprivation can lead to issues such as obesity, heart disease, difficulty learning, and can genuinely shorten a person’s lifespan. As Robbins explains, teenagers have a different internal sleep clock than other age groups. It is most healthy for students in high school to go to bed around 11 and wake up around 9. Since school often begins as early as 7, students are told they simply need to go to bed early, around 8 or 9 PM. This contention does not take into account the fact that humans are biologically not wired this way, and it's virtually impossible for most teens to fall asleep this early. It also doesn't take into account that with clubs, sports, church, volunteering, other extracurriculars and hours of homework, students often struggle to start their homework before their suggested “bedtime”. It is contended that students can control their own schedules so that they can get more sleep. However, pressure from parents and peers to get into a “good” college can cloud students’ perceptions of what is right for them, making them choose to overwork themselves in order to build impressive resumes. I myself can identify with this phenomenon. During the weekdays alone, I volunteer two nights a

    Read More

  • Enhancing Student Well-being: The Case for Later School Start Times

    826 Words  | 2 Pages

    Sleep! That wonderful, blissful void between last night and this morning. Sleep is one of the most basic functions of life. Nearly all creatures must sleep in order to properly carry out tasks; teenagers are no exception. The typical teenager needs an average of nine to ten hours of sleep a night in order for their brains to be capable of working at full capacity. School starts so early that they infringe upon that basic necessity. In order for teens to receive an adequate amount of sleep, it is mandatory to enact later start times for high schools across the country.

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay: Should Schools Have Later Start Times?

    570 Words  | 2 Pages

    According to the National Sleep Foundation, biological sleep patterns change throughout the stages of adolescence. ¨Biological sleep patterns shift toward later times for both sleeping and waking during adolescence-meaning it is natural to not be able to fall asleep before 11:00pm.¨ (¨Teens and Sleep¨). Messing with these sleep cycles in the long run and lead to sleep disorders. Research done by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests teenagers 13-18 years old should regularly sleep 8-10 hours each night for a healthy sleep. The teens who do not get a good amount of sleep are more likely to suffer from mental conditions, smoking, illicit drugs, and alcohol use. ¨Not getting enough sleep is common among high school students and is associated with several health risks including being overweight, drinking alcohol, smoking tobacco, and using drugs, as well as poor academic performance.¨ (¨Schools Start Too Early¨). On an NBC news story, Hilton Head Island High School moved its start time and benefits were noticeable. Students had higher test score averages and grades improved throughout the school.A study done in 2008 published in the journal of clinical sleep, found car accident rates fell by 16.5% when students were more aware on the road, not having to wake up before 7 am.

    Read More

  • Today's Exhausted Superkids Summary

    541 Words  | 2 Pages

    The amount of sleep teenagers are lacking is leading to depression, anxiety, and in some cases, suicide in high school and college students. There are many dangers caused by the lack of sleep in young adults. Also, sleep is a major part of growing a healthy body and performing your best at school and/or work. I slack at school when I do not get enough rest because I am drained of energy, have no

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay: How Sleep Needs In People's Life

    1410 Words  | 3 Pages

    Though there are many facets to the subject of sleep, our team has decided to focus on the vital role sleep plays in people’s lives, specifically college students, as well as the numerous methods that can be used to make sleep more effective. Research has consistently proven the importance of a regular sleep schedule. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute promotes this idea, and offers several tips for getting enough sleep while leading a busy life.[1] For instance, it helps to keep the same sleep schedule on weeknights and weekdays. Also, avoiding heavy exercise and artificial bright lights within an hour of going to sleep ensures a more restful sleep. This is especially true for devices like computers and cellphones, the light of which interrupts melatonin production, thus disrupting sleep. Avoiding heavy meals, alcoholic beverages, nicotine, and caffeine within a couple hours of sleeping helps prime the body for a more restful sleep, as well. In fact, the effects of caffeine can last

    Read More

  • Sleep Deprivation in America's Students

    1491 Words  | 3 Pages

    Lack of sleep of teens is not caused by choice. Many teens do not choose to stay up late at night because they are out or having fun. The body has circadian rhythms. “These rhythms are generated internally and develop without any social or environmental cues. Adolescents experience a natural circadian phase delay and, therefore, tend to stay up later and sleep in later than in preadolescents” (Final Report Summary, 2001). The opening and closing schedules of schools are not based on these rhythms but are based on the business world and what is best for it. “School schedules should be adapted to the unique needs of different sub-populations of pupils. The administrator must not bear the sole responsibility for planning class schedules” (...

    Read More

  • Should Schools Start Later?

    1521 Words  | 4 Pages

    Were you aware that teens tend to have irregular sleeping patterns that can harm their body and the way it functions? When it comes to sleep, teens are inclined to stay up very late during the week and wake up very early in the morning. On the weekends, they seem to gravitate more towards waking up very late to catch up on the sleep that they missed earlier in the week. Now that you know what the causes of having irregular sleeping patterns can do to a teenager’s body, you will be able to see the positive and negative effects of what not having enough sleep can do to one’s self. These facts will be explored through the articles “Should Schools Start Later” by Justin O’Neill and “Why Schools Should Start Later in the Morning” by Emily Richmond.

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay On The Importance Of Sleep

    1177 Words  | 3 Pages

    People often overlook the importance of sleep, when sleep is actually necessary to survive. “Poor sleep can contribute to weight gain, headaches, high blood pressure, diabetes, depression, an impaired immune system, and attention deficit disorder” (Lai, Wei-Shin). Over the past century Americans are consistently getting less sleep than needed due to multiple different factors. I can personally relate to not getting a good night’s sleep and facing the consequences of sleep deprivation. Overall, sleep is more important than we think when it comes to a healthy lifestyle.

    Read More

  • Why School Should Start Later

    267 Words  | 1 Pages

    Sleep is extremely important to all of us, but students and teens aren't getting enough of it and it’s a problem. When teenage students are tired, that increases obesity, illness, anxiety, and depression. No parent or teacher wants their kids to have those qualifications so that's one of the reasons why school should start later.

    Read More

  • Why School Should Start Later Essay

    419 Words  | 1 Pages

    Teenagers today don’t get enough sleep as it is. They need at least nine and a half hours of sleep and teens get their best sleep between 11 p.m. and 8 a.m. But 69% of high schoolers get eight hours of sleep and 40% gets less than seven hours of sleep. Did you know that girls are more likely to get less than seven hours of sleep than boys and low income families are also more likely to get less than seven hours of sleep.

    Read More

  • Sleep and Teenagers

    1024 Words  | 3 Pages

    Sleep is a fundamental need for everyone who needs sleep. Sleep is as important as eating food and drinking fluids. But teenagers are the ones seen not getting enough sleep at night. It is proven that teenagers get the minimum hours of sleep than any other age group. Teenagers are seen getting about five hours or less of sleep each night. Lack of sleep can affect many thing in a negative way. Sleep deprivation can affect things such as abilities to learn, listen, pay attention, and drive. It can also affect someone's mental health and physical health.

    Read More

  • Sleep and The Effect It Has On Academic Performance

    676 Words  | 2 Pages

    When children make the transition from primary school to middle school or high school, it affects them a lot when the changing of their own sleep cycle affects the way they actually learn. Dr. Judith Owens, who is the director of the Sleep Medicine Clinic at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C., says "adolescents are programmed to fall asleep later,” (2013). She wants to change school start times to later because "we are asking [teens] to be awake and alert at the time in their 24-hour clock when their alertness level is at its very lowest,” (2013). She also says that most teens can’t usually fall asleep until 11 p.m. Sleep expert Amy Wolfson of College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass., says that children should try to get eight and a half to nine and a half hours of sleep a night. Waking up at six a.m. leads to bad sleep patterns creating sleep deprivation.

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay: Why Should We Sleep?

    1380 Words  | 3 Pages

    Have you ever stayed up too late? At one time or another most people have probably experienced that feeling where their eyes start to droop and blur. It’s their body telling them they need to sleep… But do they? Many people might think losing a night’s sleep or not sleeping enough is not a big deal, but in fact, continuously lacking sleep does affect people in a bad way. People should know the healthy amount of sleep they need and some solutions to sleeping problems. Sleep deprivation causes physical and mental effects on the human body and can be directly responsible for many fatal accidents.

    Read More

  • Essay On Lack Of Sleep

    1137 Words  | 3 Pages

    Sleep is a very important factor in the human function. Our body and brain is able to reset itself and rejuvenate while we sleep. When we do not get the required amount of sleep, we start to feel lethargic and foggy minded, because our mind and body wasn’t able to replenish itself. Sleep is imperative that an insignificant rest deficiency or lack of sleep can affect our ability to remember things; decisions and can affect our temperament. Chronic sleep deficiency can get the body to feel agitated and it could lead to serious health problems such as, heart problems, stress, acne, and obesity.

    Read More

  • Persuasive Speech: Taking Care Of Sleep

    1264 Words  | 3 Pages

    Teens need about 9 to 10 hours of sleep each night to function best. Most teens do not get enough sleep. One study found that 85% students didn’t get enough sleep on school nights.

    Read More

More about Persuasive Essay On Lack Of Sleep

Open Document