As important as the last final grades are, it is equally important to note the importance of our physical and mental health. Part of that is ensuring you get enough sleep. With the amount of studying, and stress that each one of us have endured throughout these weeks, it is common to feel drained and burned out. Therefore, getting sleep is a crucial aspect of keeping yourself from experiencing burning out and being drained.
Based on the “How Sleep Deprivation Impacts Mental Health” article, by the Columbia University Department of Psychiatry, given the lack of sleep one might experience, “poor or insufficient sleep has been found to increase negative emotional responses to stressors and to decrease positive emotions.” Consider it this way: if you spend the entire night preparing for your final instead of strategically organizing your day to fit it in, you may feel exhausted during the test and struggle to understand the questions and read the words. Due to the lack of sleep, you will have brain fog and will be counting down the minutes until you are able to get to your bed and get a good nap. Comparatively, had you got a good night of sleep and spent the appropriate amount of time studying, you would feel more prepared and refreshed making you certain that you are able to take the final effectively. Other than the poor performance on the test, your mood will be corrupted for the rest of the day, making it less enjoyable for you and the people around you.
Sleep is like recharging your battery, and if your battery is not being recharged, and instead you are taking increments of charging it throughout the day by either taking naps during breaks, it won’t leave you feeling the same as getting a consistent sleep throughout the night. A senior at YLHS, Hadi Naveed (12), says
Overall, what starts from not getting enough sleep leads to feeling low all day; if this continues, it can lead to mental health problems such as increased depression, anxiety, and sleeping disorders furthering you from functioning to your best ability. Just like getting a good grade is important, receiving a minimum of eight hours of sleep is crucial to get through the day. Getting enough sleep is crucial in all aspects. Whether it’s mental or physical sleep is one of the most important things you need to properly and healthily function.
