A proper amount of sleep is vital for a functional school day. Research shows that students and teachers should get an adequate amount of sleep for a fully functioning school day. 

“They say that kids this age, in high school, should still get eight to 10 hours of sleep a night. I would venture to guess that most of them get about six to eight,” Laurie Brueckner, school nurse, said.

Without getting a good night’s rest there can be some apparent consequences.

“Their concentration, learning, emotional health, and mental health can be affected [by a lack of sleep]. They’re just not as sharp and they aren’t able to deal with as many curveballs, because they are not adequately rested,” Brueckner stated.

Students can also notice the effects of not getting enough sleep.

“If you’re not getting enough sleep then you’re just distracted all day. You’re so tired and it’s hard for you to focus. So I think it’s important that I get enough sleep, so I’m not tired for the day,” Quinn Thomson, 10, said.

Some teachers do acknowledge the fact that getting the appropriate amount of sleep can be difficult at times. Knowing when to stop is an important skill to have when trying to get more sleep.

“I hate that some kids have extremely high expectations for themselves, where they can’t shut down and allow themselves the rest so they can keep those high expectations going,” Stephanie Hojnacki, math teacher, stated.

Students will not be able to perform at their best if they are constantly tired. Utilizing things like PLC days can be a small fix to this problem.

“I think for a good amount of kids, [PLC] does help. I mostly work with the kids that have a lot of pressure on themselves. Those kids can sleep a little bit more so they feel more refreshed to come in and still get work done,” Hojnacki said.

On one hand, academic pressure may be a reason for a student’s lack of sleep. On the other hand, social media can also play a role in this.

“I think a lot of it’s just social media. Being on their phones constantly. Or just being what we call ‘night focusing’ on everything and having their brains going in all different directions,” Thomson said.

The amount of sleep a student or teacher gets can affect their performance throughout the day, so it is important to be fully rested before a school day. Finding a stopping point during work and sticking to a schedule is encouraged to be able to get more rest. This goes for both students and teachers.