Addressing Student Sleep Deprivation

Abstract

Proper sleep is critical to healthy development and lifestyles. Inadequate sleep has been associated with problems ranging from poor academic performance and risk taking behavior, to increased risk of health problems such as obesity. While sleep is essential to all people of all ages, it is especially critical for children and adolescents. For this reason, parents, health officials, academics, and policy makers are invested in determining why some adolescents get too little sleep, the effects of sleep deprivation, and ways to encourage better sleep hygiene among adolescents. Solutions to these problems range from later school start times, lessening homework loads, and reducing student screen time.

Overview

Doctors and researchers have produced a large body of literature documenting the changes to sleep patterns that occur when children enter adolescence. These changes are often the result of later bedtimes as well as inadequate sleep once an adolescent goes to bed. Among the sleep hygiene problems that have been studied are insomnia and daytime sleepiness. Additionally, longer terms studies have linked somatic and psychosocial health problems, low academic performance and risk taking behavior with not achieving enough sleep (Sochat, Cohen-Zion & Tzischinsky, 2013). These problems affect students during their school years and additionally produce a habit of poor sleep that can continue to affect students long after graduation.

Sleep deprivation can be understood in several different conditions. Insomnia describes the inability to fall asleep or stay asleep for the desired period of time. This can occur if a student is overly stressed and stays up all night worrying about an upcoming exam or family situation. Bright lights, an undesirable temperature, loud noises, or distracting entertainment media can also make it difficult for students to fall asleep when they desire to do so. Insomnia can also be caused by medical conditions such as asthma, which makes it difficult for the student to breathe well throughout the evening, and joint pain, which makes it difficult for students to comfortably lay in a bed (Ford, Cunningham, Giles & Croft, 2015). Insomnia has been linked to overall poor health, whereas adequate sleep is commonly associated with a positive health status.

Sleep deprivation is defined by the National Sleep Foundation as any time that an individual fails to get enough sleep, which for adolescents is between eight and ten hours each night. While some students can function well on less than the prescribed eight and ten hours each night, few students can function on less than six hours each night (Meldrum, 2014). A student who is consistently sleep deprived, has a limited ability to learn, listen, concentrate, and critically think. Sleep deprived students may even forget information that they have previously acquired. Additionally, sleep deprived students are more prone to poor health decisions such as eating too much or eating unhealthy foods. Sleep deprived students are also more likely to engage in risk taking behaviors, including the use of psychoactive substances such as nicotine and marijuana. Additionally, a connection has been made between sleep deprivation and driving while intoxicated.

The majority of adolescents experience fewer than nine hours of sleep on school nights and sleep for longer periods of time on the weekend. Although they may catch up on missed sleep over the weekend, doing so results in different bed and awakening times on the weekend and school nights. These changes result in a disruptive sleep cycle and an inadequate number of sleep hours, both of which can have dramatic effects on their physical and mental health (Noland, Price, Dake & Telljohann, 2009). Because of their disruptive sleep schedules, students may be extremely tired, moody, lacking motivation, and have difficulty concentrating when school begins again on Monday morning. By 2019, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that only 22 percent of teenagers slept for eight hours or more a night, causing some observers to label sleep deprivation among teens an epidemic.

Further Insights

Studies have linked adolescent sleep deprivation to many factors including stress, sleep apnea, caffeine consumption, alcohol consumption, exercise, after-school jobs, homework, sports, poor time management, and school start times. While there are a variety of causes, many are directly linked to activities that result in students going to bed later and waking earlier than medically desirable.

Among the most immediate effects of student sleep deprivation are poor school attendance, late arrival at school, sleeping in class, low alertness, poor concentration, and poor grades. For example, one study proved that students earning a C or below tended to go to bed significantly later and received an average of three fewer hours of sleep per week than those earning Bs or higher (Sochat et al., 2013). Students who have not slept enough are also prone to anger, impulsivity, and depression. While teachers and administrators must address these effects, researchers and policy makers stress the need to also address the long-term, underlying reasons why students are sleep deprived.

Many schools have chosen to follow the example of Minneapolis Public Schools and adapt their starting times to accommodate adolescent sleep schedules. Other schools have chosen to address other issues such as too much homework, afterschool activities, and student stress. All of these changes are driven by the debilitating effects of sleep deprivation among students.

One commonly proposed reason for student sleep deprivation is that their schools begin too early. The common solution to this cause is changing the start time and academic workload for middle and high school students. It is argued that because adolescents commonly go to bed after 11:00 PM, it is impossible for them to achieve six, let alone eight hours of sleep each night if their school day begins at 7:30 AM. While some students choose to stay up late, many are required to stay up later than desired to complete large amounts of homework. Minnesota Public Schools changed their start time to 8:40 AM resulting in marked improvements in student performance (Noland et al., 2009). Yet, the National Sleep Foundation suggests that high schools not begin before 9:00 AM to ensure that students are learning at the time in which they are most likely to be awake and engaged in the classroom. Many public school districts in the United States have changed their start times in accordance with these recommendations (Owens, Drobnich, Baylor & Lewin, 2014). Other schools have made small changes to their start times, or maintained traditional start times of 9:00 AM for elementary, middle, and high schools.

Viewpoints

Beyond changing school start times, it is recommended that students learn the fundamentals of healthy sleep. This education can occur in biology, health, and social studies classes in lessons that address questions of quality sleep and the effects of sleep on humans to encourage students to both understand and practice quality sleep hygiene. For students who are experiencing sleep difficulty, especially gifted students, it is suggested that teachers and parents teach meditation or relaxation techniques that will allow students to unwind at the end of the day and address fears before bed (Lamont, 2012).

Reducing Screen Time

A second large cause of adolescent sleep deprivation is the use of screens such as television, computers, and cell phones. The suggestion is that by limiting screen time before bed, students will be able to achieve sleep faster and maintain better sleep hygiene (Sochat et al., 2013). A National Sleep Foundation survey found that 95 percent of Americans use technology within the last hour before they go to sleep. While adolescents might intend to use a screen for only a short time and then go to sleep, they often lose track of time and stay up much later than intended. Having a television in the bedroom, or access to a cell phone while in bed has a significant effect on student inability to go to sleep at the desired time (Wethington, Pan & Sherry, 2013). In addition to losing track of time, blue light emitted by a television, computer, and cell phone screens decreases the production of melatonin that is necessary for a healthy sleep cycle. This means that even after a student goes to sleep, they may not have a full sleep cycle and therefore wake up groggy and/or moody. The solution to these problems is relatively simple, students should be taught to not use screens before bed and should never take their screens, such as cell phones, to bed with them.

All of the solutions to student sleep deprivation aim at establishing a habit of healthy "sleep hygiene," which is defined as a combination of regular bedtimes, limited napping during the day, and restricted access to caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol. Additionally, healthy sleep hygiene requires a favorable sleep environment that is free from disruptions and distractions, such as watching television, eating, working on schoolwork, or using screens such as laptops and cell phones. These habits, if established while students are in school, will set a foundation for lifelong healthy sleep.

Health Risks

Students lacking healthy sleep hygiene are at risk for academic failings as well as serious and long-term effects on student health, including increased risk of obesity, depression, and the establishment of unhealthy risk-taking habits and behaviors. Long-term effects of student sleep deprivation include high risk of obesity. One study followed 800 children from third to sixth grade and showed that sleep deprivation significantly increased the risk of obesity. In this study, each additional hour of sleep decreased the chance of obesity by 40 percent. (Sochat et al., 2013) These risks occur because inadequate sleep commonly results in greater calorie intakes. Students desire more calories because they are missing leptin, a hormone produced when sleeping and critical to reducing hunger and cravings for sweets, starches, and salty snacks (Noland et al., 2009).

Additionally, sleep deprivation causes lower energy levels, resulting in decreased interest in exercise and lower calorie expenditures when exercising. Childhood obesity has received significant attention from public health officials and policy makers. For example, Michelle Obama’s Lets Move! campaign encouraged children and adolescents to get more exercise and therefore decrease obesity. Improved sleep hygiene is critical to the success of these programs so that students are awake and energetic when they participate in exercise programs.

Mood Disorders

Beyond obesity, sleep deprivation may result in mental and/or emotional dysfunctions including depression and low self-esteem. Both inability to sleep and oversleeping are signs of clinical depression. While sleep deprivation does not directly cause depression, getting too little sleep can make depression worse. The relationship between sleep and depression is explained by the role of sleep as a tool to release tension and restore a strong mental state of mind. Without enough sleep, students are prone to fatigue, moodiness, and depression.

Risk Behaviors

Even among students who are not depressed, a lack of sleep has been linked to the inability or decreased ability to control emotions, including anger, sadness, and fear. Additionally, researchers indicate that there is a direct link between insomnia and risk taking behaviors such as smoking, delinquency, driving when sleep deprived, and/or drinking and driving (Catrett & Gaultney, 2009). It might seem easy to prevent some of these problems by simply prohibiting students from driving at night when they are at the greatest risk of being sleep deprived. However, many students drive because they are participating in after-school sports, clubs, or employment. For many students, driving is not a choice, but a necessity to complete all of their required and desired activities.

Afterschool Work Loads

Even if they do not drive at night, participating in afterschool activities and employment has a significant effect on sleep duration. Researchers focusing on Quebec high school students have recommended that educators specifically focus on the ways that afterschool work are affecting students, with special emphasis on girls who are combining work and study (Laberge, Ledoux, Aucliar & Gaudreault, 2014). While both boys and girls may be engaged in afterschool work, girls are more likely to be expected to also do chores at home. Some of these the girls may become so sleep-deprived that they will begin to fall behind in one or all of their activities. While many towns and cities regulate the times that students may work, they do not have the power to regulate housework and chores, resulting in an unknown but suspected effect on student sleep.

In addition to work, chores, and homework, educators need to pay attention to the hours when sporting events, practices, and clubs end in the evening to ensure that students, especially those driving, have the opportunity to drive home safely. If the school day begins at 7:30, this means that school activities must conclude by 7:30 to ensure that students have twelve hours to eat, sleep, and complete homework before returning to school again the next day. These changes might have a significant effect on the culture of afterschool sports, artistic events such as plays or musicals, and tutoring for standardized tests. However, not changing student work load and school start times may have long-term effect on student sleep hygiene and health.

Terms & Concepts

Depression: Feeling sad, hopeless, or unimportant. Depression has effects on student feelings, critical thinking skills, and behavior and can lead to emotional and/or physical problems.

Insomnia: A sleep disorder that causes difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. Insomnia can be caused by stress, illness, a poor sleep environment, medication or travel.

Obesity: Weight that is higher than desirable for the student’s height and age, characterized by the excessive storage of fat on the body.

Sleep Deprivation: When an individual achieves less than the medically recommended amount of sleep. For adolescents this is between eight and ten hours each night

Somatic Health: Physical health, referring to the body.

Psychosocial Health: Mental, emotional, social, and spiritual health, all of which are necessary to a strong mental state.

Sleep Hygiene: Practice of achieving and maintaining quality nighttime sleep and daytime awakening on a regular basis.

Short Sleep: Sleeping for less than six hours each night. For "natural short sleepers" this is enough to maintain quality sleep hygiene, but for many students this is a sign of sleep deprivation.

Screen Time: Time spent using or occupied by a computer, television, or cellular phone. The American Association of Pediatrics recommends that children and teenagers should not use electronic media for entertainment for more than two hours each day.

Sleep Environment: The place where a student sleeps, when assessing a sleep environment it is necessary to pay attention to external stimuli such as loud noises, strong smells, uncomfortable temperatures, bright lights, and uncomfortable beds.

Bibliography

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Suggested Reading

Fite, P. J., Becker, S. P., Rubens, S. L., & Cheatham-Johnson, R. (2015). Anxiety symptoms account for the link between reactive aggression and sleep problems among Latino adolescents. Child & Youth Care Forum, 44(3), 343–354. Retrieved December 30, 2015 from EBSCO Academic Search Complete with Full Text.

Keller, P. S., Smith, O. A., Gilbert, L. R., Bi, S., Haak, E. A., & Buckhalt, J. A. (2015). Earlier school start times as a risk factor for poor school performance: An examination of public elementary schools in the commonwealth of Kentucky. Journal of Educational Psychology, 107(1), 236–245. Retrieved December 30, 2015 from EBSCO Academic Search Complete with Full Text.

Vigo, D. E., Simonelli, G., Tuñón, I., Pérez Chada, D., Cardinali, D. P., & Golombek, D. (2014). School characteristics, child work, and other daily activities as sleep deficit predictors in adolescents from households with unsatisfied basic needs. Mind, Brain, and Education, 8(4), 175–181. Retrieved December 30, 2015 from EBSCO Academic Search Complete with Full Text.