Blog #7: Sleep Deprivation Amongst Students

 

Student @ work by Plueschopossum

A lot of testings and observations are done on adults for sleep deprivation. Adults do run the market and practically the whole nation. So, what about the adverse effects of sleep deprvation on adults so what about teenagers? Are they just as bad for adults? Well, the effects of sleep deprivation on adults are just as bad for teenagers too.

In an article by Russell Westerholm entitled "Sleep Deprivation in College Students as Detrimental to GPA and Class Participation as Marijuana Use and Binge Drinking," he shows that sleep deprivation for teenagers is as bad as marijuana use and binge drinking – drinking large amount of alcohol in  a short amount of time. Theses effects of marijuana use and binge drinking has a similar effect on a student's grade point average (GPA) as sleep deprivation. He also states that sleep deprivation is also the cause of students getting worse grades and dropping out of classes.

Westerholm quotes Dr. Roxanne Prichard, PhD in saying "...most college freshmen are independent for the first time in their lives and staying up late is something they can see as harmless... younger college students are also more likely to want to stay up late because of their age. Known as a 'delayed phase.'

The effects of sleep deprivation on students evidently affects their grades, and sleep deprivation also affects a student's entire wellness such as emotional problems and of course performance problems which leads to the decline on a student's GPA.

Now, in an article by Siri Carpenter entitled "Sleep deprivation may be undermining teen health" she shows that teenagers actually sleep later in the night than children. It also stated that for teenagers who biologically sleep later and wake up later than usual, "are tantamount to abuse." Also, schools who have pushed back their morning classes to a later time has shown that students have shown some improvement to the student's grades and emotions.

Carpenter quoting Amy R. Wolfson, PhD says "changing school start times isn't the entire answer. 'I think we have to be educating children, parents and teachers about the importance of sleep, just as we educate them about exercise, nutrition and drug and alcohol use.'"

Having students wake up early is abuse being all groggy and unfocused in the morning. And having students wake up naturally to be in school without knowing why could be wrong without proper education on why they go to school at a later time. Students can feel the difference of being ready for school by waking up later in themselves but don't know exactly why they have to.