Students reflect on consequences of sleep deprivation

Eighteen to 20 hours without sleep, and one might as well be drunk. According to the periodical “Men’s Fitness,” being deprived of sleep for this amount of time is equivalent to having a blood alcohol level of 0.1, 0.02 above the legal limit.

During adolescence, sleep is especially important for growth and development, and the National Sleep Foundation recommends that everyone get seven to nine hours of sleep per night. Often, however, these numbers are far from reality for students who stay up to study and keep up with other activities. This late-night cramming has more negative effects than people might think.

According to the magazine New Scientist, the main causes of sleep deprivation are excessive TV, Internet and cell phone use late at night. Sleep-deprived children are also twice as likely to be obese, compared to children who sleep for adequate amounts of time.

Sophomore Eunju Pak, who sometimes goes to sleep anywhere between 2 and 5 a.m.two and five, said extracurricular activities, such as track and tutoring classes, and in combination with regular schoolwork, are what keep her awake at night.

“If I have track, I’ll probably be exhausted. I have chemistry class that goes from 8:30 to 10, and I get home at 10:30,” Pak said. “So I usually go to sleep really late on Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays because I have to finish up my homework.”

Once, Pak stayed up all night to study for finals.

“I pulled an all-nighter in finals week, but [I] never stay up [to] mess around,” Pak said. “It’s because I mess around during the day.”

The book “Improving Sleep” states that people’s memory and reaction times get worse as they sleep for decreased amounts of time. In addition, two or more nights with little sleep can cause headaches, stomach issues, sore joints and irritability.

Pak said the main effect that lack of sleep has on her is an ill temper. She believes, however, that sleep deprivation does not significantly impact her academic performance.

“It doesn’t really affect my grades,” Pak said, “but I get cranky. I get really cranky.”

Even so, a recent study by the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) showed that the less sleep students in Los Angeles high schools got, the worse they performed on tests, quizzes or homework. The researchers emphasized the importance of finding a balanced schedule rather than staying up late to study.

Sophomore Meeta Marathe, who generally gets nine and a half hours of sleep each night, said that sleeping for an appropriate amount of time is essential for doing well in class.

“[Getting enough sleep] makes me happier,” Marathe said. “It also makes my academic performance better because I’m usually not sleepy during school.”

Marathe said the main reason she sleeps so much is because she is able to finish her homework early, in addition to simply enjoying sleeping. In comparison to Pak, Marathe does not take extra study classes outside of school.

“I sleep a lot because I love sleeping,” Marathe said. “Even though I’m in badminton, I usually get my homework done by 10, so then I just feel like sleeping after that.”

Marathe said that those who receive enough sleep are perceived more positively by those interacting with them.

“Sleep is very important because it improves your performance, your mood and your personality,” Marathe said.  “[It affects] how people judge you during the day.”