America is facing a national crisis.  While there are well-publicized national issues like insufficient education, obesity, and wage gap increases, I’ve found something critical to productivity but is entirely overlooked: the importance of sleep.  You see classmates nodding off in the high school classroom and even the lecture halls of major universities.  There is a wikiHow article on “9 ways to sleep in class.”  This might seem innocent enough, but sleep deprivation is a growing concern in the workforce where 23.2% of adults report a difficulty concentrating due to sleep deprivation.

Here are a few facts and statistics you should know about the dangers of getting too little sleep:

• 43% of adults between 18-25 have reported unintentionally falling asleep at least once in the past month, and 4.5% reported nodding off while driving.
• School age children (age 5-10) need 10-11 hours of sleep and teens need 8.5-9 hours yet only 31% of high school students are getting at least 8 hours, according to the CDC.
• Adolescents not getting enough sleep are more stressed, unhappy, nervous, and worried than those getting the requisite 8-9 hours.
• Students getting C’s and D’s obtain about 25 minutes less of sleep and go to bed 40 minutes later than their A’s and B’s receiving counterparts.

Such time spent dozing is time not listening to important instruction or information about homework, tests, and assignments.  Instead of hitting the books late into the AM, spend that time getting acquainted with the sandman.  With that extra alertness, you’ll find it that much easier to pay attention in class, making excessive, late-night studying less necessary than before.  Thus coming full circle, and offering you more time to get that well needed rest! Sweet dreams.

Sources and further reading:

• Insufficient Sleep is a Public Health Problem
• Functional and Economic Impact of Sleep Loss and Sleep-related Disorders
• Teens and Sleep
• 5 FREE Resources for Overachieving Students
• 3 Reasons Why Career Services Is Your Best Friend

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