Sleeping early may be one thing teenagers tend to avoid, but it actually has a big impact on how they do in school. Getting enough sleep will help teens do well in whatever they do the next day. Whether that is playing a sport, driving, or taking a test, sleeping is the solution to being able to do your best. 

Teens need more sleep than adults because their bodies are still growing and developing. According to the National Sleep Foundation, teens need anywhere from 8 to 10 hours of sleep. However, a conducted study shows that only 15% of teens sleep for 8.5 or more hours on school nights. Ashley Lee (9), an honors and AP student, says, “I get seven hours of sleep every night. If I stay up at night, then I’m usually doing homework.” Doing homework and studying are just some of the many reasons why teens do not go to sleep early, and there are also various consequences for not getting the recommended amount of sleep. The less time teens sleep, the less they will be able to concentrate both during and outside of school. The lack of concentration could even lead to drowsy driving, which is a major cause of today’s car accidents. Additionally, less sleep leads to depression, obesity, stress and other health problems.

One of the most important benefits of sleep is brain growth and development. The National Sleep Foundation says that getting enough sleep can help when remembering important information, which could help grades at school. Piper Guyton (9) says, “On average, I get 9 to 10 hours of sleep a night. The amount of sleep I get helps me do well in school because I am always feeling awake.” When teens don’t get enough sleep, they may come to school late or fall asleep in class, which will negatively affect their grades and performance at school. On the other hand, getting the recommended amount of sleep will help teens focus during class. They will have an easier time listening to people speak, which will allow them to understand more information. These positive factors will all contribute to a teen’s academic success and their ability to learn new information.

Naturally, there are many solutions to get enough sleep. Teens can start by trying to sleep as early as possible. This may seem like an unrealistic goal, but it can easily be achieved by reducing the use of electronic devices before sleeping and also by starting any homework as soon as possible to avoid procrastination. So in the future, instead of turning on your electronics before sleeping, think about it can affect your grades and performance at school.