Many know what it is like to be drowsy during the day — unable to focus during class. This is due to sleep deprivation, which occurs when an individual fails to get enough sleep during the night.
Many students at Hill sleep between 10:30 p.m. and midnight and wake up at around 6–8 a.m. With only six to eight hours of sleep, Hill students are far below the recommend 9.5 hours of sleep that experts recommend.
Recent studies by Stanford show that 25% of academic success can be reattributed to sleep. Many sleep deprivation issues are caused by devices as well.
Devices can be extremely detrimental to our daily sleep cycle.
“The wavelength from electronic devices that they emit doesn’t promote the brain to wind down at night,” Dr. Kristin Spencer, Director of the Wellness Center, said.
Studies by the University of California also show that exposure to blue light before bedtime can disrupt sleep patterns as it affects when our bodies create melatonin, a hormone that plays a major role in sleep. Spencer recommended that you stay away from any devices for at least 90 minutes before bed.
In addition, focus and decision-making are affected. Sleep is critical to your functioning and success. It affects your mood, memory retention, and sometimes even your appetite.
“To reach your peak academic performance, sleep is required,” Bo Kim, Director of Studies and Instruction, said. Kim also mentioned that sleep is a major consideration when creating class schedules and deciding when to start the academic day.
The importance of sleep played an important role in designing this year’s schedule. Hill starts its day quite a bit later than many schools across the country.
“It used to be a lot earlier,” Kimberly Curcio, Learning Support Coordinator, said. “But after a sleep study, we switched it to 8:25.”
Despite a later start time, some students still struggle to balance their academic and sleep needs. Less sleep directly impacts cognitive functions like memory consolidation, learning, and attention.
“I can tell you that I have slept late several times this year, and I could barely stay awake in class,” Casper Hao ’27 said.
Experts recommend that teenagers get around 9 ¼ hours of sleep. However, this is extremely unlikely for many Hill students. This may be due to our hectic schedules, filled with bustling activities every day.
It is not just up to Hill to fix your sleep habits. You can do a lot to help yourself. Instead, try going to sleep a little earlier, staying away from devices for at least 90 minutes before bed, or waking up a little later. This can be helpful if you do not have 3rd form breakfast check-in.
Another way to sleep earlier is to turn off any bright overhead lights at least 30 to 60 minutes before bed, for many this lets people ease into sleep gradually. Additionally, try to avoid energy drinks, coffee, or other beverages with high caffeine content, especially in the afternoon. It can be even harder to fall asleep with such substances in your body. Finally, try to establish a bedtime routine for yourself. This will help your body recognize when it is time to head to bed.
Overall, sleep is not about ensuring you do not yawn in front of the entire class, it is key in making sure that you are well-focused, well-rested, and staying healthy. So, try, give yourself those extra two hours of sleep per night.
You can study all night, however, if you lack sleep, your brain will definitely not be showing up to that test the next day. “Sleep impacts everything from focus, mood, to attention span, and sometimes even your appetite!” Curcio said.