Teenagers today are exhausted. Late nights from work and early mornings for school lead to minimal sleep that negatively affects teenagers. Jobs take even more time from teenagers weighed down with school requirements. Excelling in school, working regularly, and getting enough sleep all at once is a challenge that needs a better solution.
Sleep is often sacrificed by teens to succeed in school and work, but sleep is important for teenagers. Being constantly sleep deprived causes decreased motivation, heightens the risk for depression, affects memory and concentration, and increases the likelihood of struggling in school. According to an Oxford University article on the lack of sleep teenagers get, “up to 40% of teens feel that they are too sleepy most of the time.” It also states that, “scientific research shows that to function at your best, you need between 9 hours and 10 hours of sleep every day.” However, districts do nothing to change the early mornings required to get to school, the taxing loads of homework and long days that are a constant detriment to busy teens.
Good grades demand time, commitment, and effort from overwhelmed students. High schoolers reported doing an average of 2.7 hours of homework per weeknight, according to a study by the Washington Post. Total school hours end up at about 10 per day, depending on the difficulty of classes. Then work includes long shifts after a draining school day and more homework waiting for later in the night. Jobs also demand energy and focus, and hours cannot be turned in late, unlike assignments. The practice of needing to sacrifice any of these three things causes anxiety, panic and worry and should not be a necessary choice in teenagers’ lives.
Several solutions have been presented to fix teenage time constraints, one being limited working hours for 16- and 17-year-olds. There are intensive regulations for teenagers under 16, including not being able to work from 9:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. and limited total hours per week. However, there are no regulations for those over 16. Imposing laws like in Washington, which limit 16- and 17-year-olds to 20 hours per week during the school year could help students to be able to prioritize school without worrying about repercussions for working less hours. This way teenagers could also have more time for de-stressing, homework, and sleep. However, this would require a lot of work in the legislature of the state, and getting everyone on board would be time-consuming.
Another solution to be considered is a later start to school and cutting down school hours. Simply starting school later but requiring the same hours would cause complications in work schedules and later work hours that would end with sleep deprivation once again. By cutting down each class by around five minutes and removing the 35-minute-long study period, an hour could easily be taken off that could be given to students. By understanding and finding solutions to these obstacles, we can create an environment that promotes the physical and mental well-being of teenagers while still ensuring their academic and professional growth.
While it might be difficult to implement, later school start times and less work hours hold numerous benefits for teens. By giving students adequate time to sleep, research shows improved physical and mental health, reduced fatigue, higher academic performance, and engagement. There is more time for teenagers to relax, unwind, and be a kid. “Teens after all are becoming. They are forming their identities, values, and views of the world. They need a balance” states Kathy Vatterott in an article about teenagers being overwhelmed by school. By considering the wellbeing of our teenagers and putting these solutions into use, we can create an environment that prioritizes the health and success of teenagers.