Editorial

Most students at Staples bring something else besides a notebook and a pen to their first period classes.

Frequently, these kids are seen carrying cups filled to the brim with a caffeinated beverage. Why? Because, according to an Inklings poll, only 48 percent of Staples students get more than seven hours of a sleep on an average school night. According to school nurse Libby Russ, the average teenager needs eight to 10 hours of sleep to remain healthy.

There’s no getting around the fact that sleep deprivation is a problem at Staples. But, while most students might blame teachers for their lack of shut-eye – how often does one hear a kid complaining about their multiple homework assignments keeping them up past bedtime? – the majority of the blame for the mass sleep deprivation rests on the students’ shoulders. Procrastination is capable of chewing up many more hours than any amount of work can. Students need to develop a strong work ethic to succeed with the challenging coursework that comes with the Staples curriculum.

We recognize that it can be difficult to concentrate on schoolwork when one isn’t running on a healthy amount of sleep.

In order to cope with drowsiness, students can set aside time to take power naps during the afternoon, which can help combat feeling sleepy throughout the day. Naps can also revitalize students, making them more mentally prepared to deal with their workload and other responsibilities. That said, naps cannot take the place of a full eight to 10 hours of sleep and students should not think that a 20 minute nap at three in the afternoon will not make up for staying up until three in the morning.

Furthermore, while some students simply are overworked, this is often the result of an entire schedule’s workload, not a vast amount of homework in one or two classes. Students, as well as their parents and whoever else might influence their schedule, need to recognize that the hours of sleep a student gets don’t necessarily have to decrease during a student’s high school years.