The next time you click “keep watching” on Netflix instead of going to sleep, you may want to reconsider the effects it will have on you in class the next morning.

    Many high school students are not receiving the amount of sleep they need in order to function properly. In fact, a recent study by the National Sleep Foundation shows that only 15% of teenagers get eight hours of  sleep each night.

    Teenagers should be getting around eight to ten hours of sleep each night, some students share how much they manage how much sleep they get on average.

     “On average, I probably get around six to seven hours of sleep each night.

    There are some days where I’m shocked that I can manage to stay awake, because I just feel so tired and unfocused in what I’m supposed to be doing.” said sophomore Madison Slevin.

     “I typically get around seven or eight hours of sleep each night and although I do think that technology is a factor in teens losing sleep, homework, workload, and extracurriculars also heavily contribute.” said sophomore, Nicole Gray.

     Although 50% of teenagers reported being “addicted” to their phones in a CNN survey, an inability to put away their phones isn’t the only factor affecting teenage sleep habits. Starting at as early as ten years old, the circadian rhythm (more commonly known as the internal clock) shifts, making it harder for teenagers to fall asleep before the hour of 11:00pm.

    Slevin also shares why she thinks that students are losing sleep. “A lot of people don’t get enough sleep, especially high school and college students due to all of the in and out of school responsibilities we take on at this age.  Whether it be clubs, sports, or homework, I can always find something to do, and just delay going to bed even more.  I’m sure that phones and other electronics contribute to people staying up late, but the majority of my studying and homework is online, so I don’t have much control over how much time I spend on my computer.  Although I’ve never fallen asleep in class, I’ve zoned out millions of times which can lead to missing out on crucial information.”  

     “I see kids fall asleep in class every day. Normally, there aren’t any punishments but some teachers do wake them up.” said Gray.

     A balanced schedule is the trick some students are using to get more rest. Getting homework done as soon as getting home from school, planning out your after-school schedule, and putting away your phone/computer an hour before going to sleep are all ways to make sure you get enough sleep.

     Whether it be the fault of the body or the inability to disconnect from the virtual world, the effects of losing valuable hours of sleep are detrimental to a student’s lives.