It is not uncommon to hear an ASFM student say “neta no dormí nada ayer.” 

We regret not sleeping, but the cycle recurs every night. There we are, pushing through the teacher’s lecture, struggling to stay awake. The importance of sleep is widely recognized, yet irregular sleeping patterns such as all-nighters are no longer surprising in ASFM. 

An anonymous 11th grader shared that their personal record was two all-nighters during the school week. Also, this student stated that the main reasons for their lack of sleep are stress, distractions, and working on personal demands. “Sometimes I start doing my homework at two in the morning and then I cannot fall asleep,” this student commented, while also accepting that sleep is not their number one priority. Due to weary nights, they feel irritated and emotional all the time compared to when receiving sufficient sleep, which makes them feel more positive and concentrated.

A survey sent out to high schoolers asked students to rate how often they fall asleep in class from one to four (one being never, four being always). Out of 117 responses, 65 percent answered between three and four, which means they are mostly or always struggling to stay awake. The survey also asked students to state how long they slept during the school week and only 12 percent of the students said they slept the recommended eight hours or more1. 

Regina Gamboa, a student that sleeps between 8.5 to 9 hours per night, was asked if she considers sleep a priority. “I think so [...] if it goes past like 9:30 pm I say to myself, I can just do it in the morning.” 

Based on the survey, around 4.3 percent of high school students say to be diagnosed with a medical sleeping disorder. This means that the remaining 95.7 percent of the high school students that answered the survey should be able to obtain their eight hours of uninterrupted sleep. Paola Van der Linden, ASFM senior, has struggled with insomnia since the beginning of 2019. She reported that, on average, she sleeps around three to four hours a day and never more than five. “My rule is: I’m going to count to a thousand, and if I get to a thousand and I’m still awake, I get up to do something else. To me, there is no point in lying in my bed if I have a hundred things to do and I could be using my time to do them,” she reveals. 

Ms. Villarreal, a Psychology teacher in ASFM, has dedicated a whole unit to this topic in her class, giving her the chance to hear many students’ stories on the matter. “They’ve told me that they start their homework at about 10 at night and don’t go to bed until two, three in the morning. But then my question is, why are you starting your homework at 10?” 

She brought up her concern about social media and the time it consumes, decreasing productivity as a direct consequence. “There is a need to go home and be on social media. That time should be dedicated to relaxing for maybe 15, 30 minutes, but then doing homework, exercising, and all those things. And if you haven’t finished your homework by, say, 10:30, 11:00 pm, go to sleep and then learn how to work effectively so that you finish everything by that specific time.”

Ms. Villarreal emphasizes that sleep should be prioritized because not only do you feel tired when you are sleep deprived, but there is also a negative effect on emotions, stress, attention, and memory. “It is counterproductive when you don’t sleep in order to study for a test that you have the next day,” she states. “In reality, not sleeping decreases your ability to memorize everything that you need to.” 

We all know that proper rest is key for teenage wellbeing, yet we start our homework at the time that we should be going to sleep. We might not realize the effects this has on us, but there is a reason we struggle to stay awake during class. It is up to us to learn how to manage our time so that we break the never-ending cycle of sleeplessness. Only then will we be able to say that we’ve slept enough to have a great day. 

Why sleep?

• Improves memory and focus: Lack of sleep makes it easier to forget information because our brain doesn’t have the chance to store new memories during the night.2

• Improves overall health: Getting sufficient sleep reduces anxiety and stress, as well as prevents illnesses like heart disease, obesity and diabetes.3

Tips for better sleep

• Aromatherapy: Lavender is known for its calming properties and has also been found to reduce anxiety.4 Have a bottle of lavender essential oil to rub on your temples and wrists before bed so you can fall asleep faster. 

• White noise: Listening to these constant ambient sounds helps block your brain from abrupt noises in your environment that could wake you up.5 Try playing a White Noise playlist on Spotify for soothing sounds before going to sleep. 

1. “Sleep for Teenagers.” National Sleep Foundation, 

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/teens-and-sleep.

2. Nordqvist, J. (2013, January 28). Poor Sleep Causes Memory Loss And Forgetfulness. 

Retrieved from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/255511.php#1.

3. Why lack of sleep is bad for your health. (2018, May 30). Retrieved from 

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/sleep-and-tiredness/why-lack-of-sleep-is-bad-for-y

our-health/.

4. Can Lavender Really Help You Sleep Better? (2017, October 18). Retrieved from 

https://restonic.com/blog/can-lavender-help-sleep-better-3749.

5. What is White Noise? (n.d.). Retrieved from 

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/bedroom-environment/hear/what-white-noise.