Sleep deprivation is a serious issue within the high school community, including Cathedral Prep. According to the Mayo Clinic, there is no exact number of hours of sleep recommended by medical professors, but for school-aged people it is recommended to get between nine and eleven hours of sleep each night. For adults, it is recommended to sleep between seven and eight hours each night. During my four years at Cathedral Prep, I have witnessed several students fall asleep in class and many, many students complain about being tired or not getting enough sleep.
I conducted a survey asking 100 students how many hours of sleep on average they get on a school night. I asked students whether they get less than six hours of sleep each night, between six and nine hours of sleep each night, or more than nine hours of sleep each night. The results showed that 37 percent of students said they sleep less than six hours each night, 60 percent of students said they sleep between six and nine hours each night, and just a mere 3 percent said they get over nine hours of sleep each night. In conclusion, the majority of students at Cathedral Prep do not get enough sleep each night.
According to Mayo Clinic, studies show that people who don’t get quality sleep or enough sleep are more likely to get sick after being exposed to a virus, such as the common cold. Lack of sleep can also affect how fast a person recovers if he or she does get sick. Some tips for getting more sleep include: sticking to a sleep schedule, paying attention to what you eat and drink especially close to bed time, creating a bed time ritual, getting comfortable, limiting daytime naps, including exercise or physical activity in your daily lives, and keeping stress to a minimum. There is not a perfect formula for how to sleep more or how many hours of sleep you need because everyone is different but getting enough sleep for is important for everyone.