Sleep Deprivation In High School Students

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In today’s society, students go through many days yawning, fighting to stay awake, and indulging in many cups of coffee. If we were to ask them what the cause of their restlessness was, the popular statement would be a lack of sleep. Sleep has been researched since around 450 BC, but it was not until the year 1911 until sleep deprivation specifically was studied. Henri Pieron found sleep-deprived animals were more likely to become less alert throughout the day (Thomas). Sleep deprivation is often studied by psychologists and psychiatrists who both deal with the mental behavior of patients. (Spinks). Sleep deprivation can be defined as the cumulative effect of a person not having sufficient sleep (“Sleep Deprivation”). High school students all …show more content…

The morning after a long night of schoolwork results in restlessness and mental fog. Compounded sleeplessness catches up to the brain, and different tasks such as taking tests and quizzes become more difficult (Spinks). In order to cut through the mental fog that results from sleep deprivation, a student must make a lifestyle change. For example, Ben Freedmen, a 17-year-old junior at Pioneer High School in Ann Arbor, Michigan, suffers from clinically-diagnosed depression. As he stated in an interview, “The combination of chronic sleep deprivation and stress from an overwhelming academic workload triggered a severe mix of depression and anxiety. I was way tired out, and less sleep put me in a really, really depressed state. I was suffering really badly” (Garey). Those who suffer from depression and anxiety and are struggling to find the source fail to realize that sleep deprivation could be the root cause of mental health deterioration. Rather, people often link depression and anxiety to other stress-creating factors in their lives, which only worsen their mental states. Additionally, diminished mental health can lead to physical health issues, some of them serious …show more content…

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