How many hours of sleep does your average peer get? In a world where social activities, academic pressure, and digital distractions outweigh the importance of students’ sleep schedules, the necessities are being put in the backseat of most Triton kids’ lives.
While talking to eight Triton High School students, it is clear that they are not getting enough sleep. The Triton Voice conducted research and discovered the average amount of sleep of these students is six hours, which is unhealthy compared to the number teens are supposed to be getting.
“I usually get around four to six hours of sleep a night,” said Triton senior Josh Penney.
Penny’s average is similar to many students at Triton. However, according to the Australian Health Department, teens should be getting around 8-10 hours of sleep as their bodies are still developing. However, if students only get six hours, what does this mean for their health?
In a recent interview with Triton Psychology teacher Jill Lewis, she said, “Not getting enough sleep, short term, can lead to decreased mood, the inability to focus, and affects memory and the ability to retain information.”
Although students all over the world, not only Triton, say that sleep is not a high priority to them, the facts suggest otherwise. A recent sleep study was done from state to state that showed how many students were getting insufficient sleep every night. In Massachusetts, 79% of kids feel this way. This means more than half the kids in Massachusetts wake up feeling tired.
Another study showed that most kids reported sleeping fewer than six hours a night which is extremely unhealthy for the student brain. School is extremely hard on students’ brains and requires a lot of brain power, without sleep our brains can’t function to the full extent. The side effects of not getting enough sleep are more than what many students think. Without getting the correct amount of sleep a night students’ mental health takes a huge risk, their risk of getting depression skyrockets, and their self-esteem plummets. But what is it that makes these kids sleep-deprived?
When asked what factors affect how much sleep you get a night, students had quite similar answers.
“I’m up all night playing Minecraft and watching Tiktoks,” said Triton Junior Greg Muse.
With the rise in popularity of the Tik Tok app, it seems that is where most students are losing most of their sleep.
“Me and my friends stay on Xbox until about 3 a.m., so that is my biggest distraction,” said senior Alex Pasquini on what distracts him from getting the sleep he needs.
“Watching stuff on my phone and my TV,” said Triton senior Josh Hersey regarding what distracts him most.
“Being on my phone is the biggest factor because it’s hard to put down,” said senior Beckham Zizza.
When looking into phone use it is clear that it has an enormous impact on students’ sleep schedule around the world. The Sleep Foundation highlights the correlation between phones and sleep. According to the Sleep Foundation, “Screen time is linked to a host of insomnia symptoms in teenagers. By delaying the release of melatonin, screen time lengthens the time it takes to fall asleep and leads to less restful sleep overall.”
Whether you believe it or not, sleep can be very beneficial to your daily life. Waking up energized and focused is an important way to start off your day. When asked about the benefits of getting enough sleep, Ms. Lewis had a great deal to say.
“Sleep helps your body and brain rest and recover, so getting the recommended amount of sleep is helpful for many reasons. Individuals who get the recommended amount of sleep tend to have good immune systems so they get sick less often, and getting enough sleep helps improve heart health and metabolism. Proper amounts of sleep can also decrease stress, help to improve attention and focus, and improve mood.” Said Lewis.
By seeing how little sleep students are actually getting, you may think it is not important to them. And for the most part, you’d be correct. However, one student was very adamant on how vital sleep really is.
The question. How important is sleep to you?
“Sleep is very important to me. If I don’t get enough sleep I’m definitely tired and my eyes will water. So it’s something I definitely need.” said senior Lucas Tinkham.
Similarly, Triton junior Adeline Stapleton felt the same way.
“Sleep is extremely important to me. It’s my favorite part of my day. I wish I could always sleep in till like 8:00.” she said.
On the other side of the spectrum, many students believe sleep really isn’t that important.
“No, it should be important to me but it’s not because staying awake there’s more things i can do,” said junior Mike Taylor.
Agreeing with Taylor is another Triton junior, Jason Merrill. Merrill says he doesn’t prioritize sleep.
“I mean not really I feel like sleep is unnecessary.”
It is clear that students do not get enough sleep at night. By prioritizing sleep and putting down their phones, students can find themselves thriving in the classroom as well as in their daily lives.
