STUDENT OUTLOOK -- Kellie Brownell

With an unlimited amount of homework and countless other distractions,

many high school students are sacrificing valuable sleeping time to

finish up math problems or watch an extra hour of TV.

But what is not taken into consideration is that sleep deprivation is

considered a national health crisis resulting in more than 100,000

traffic accidents yearly, chronic fatigue and decreased mental

capabilities.

The advent of electricity has effectively created a 24-hour workday,

while at the same time causing people to underestimate the importance of

getting a good night’s sleep.

It is considered a nationwide misconception that the recommended nine

hours of sleep is merely a luxury when given the time to enjoy it. Sleep,

however, is a necessity that allows our brain hours of intense

preparation to face the next day alert and aware of what is going on

around us. According to the National Sleep Foundation’s annual poll,

about 75% of Americans are not receiving enough sleep, the vast majority

of whom are teenagers.

While trying to juggle scholastic commitment, having a job and

participating in a sport, high school students are among the most likely

to overlook the importance of sleep. The majority is well-acquainted with

the feeling of waking up unrefreshed, while trying to jump start the

brain with an extra dose of caffeine in the morning. However, masking

one’s sleepiness does not solve the problem. Getting to school on time is

an issue for more than 22% of America’s students, not to mention being

able to stay awake during class.

According to the sleep foundation, the chemical changes occurring

inside the body during the teenage years cause our internal clock not to

signal full awareness until about 9 a.m. Thus, the 7:45 a.m. bell that

starts the school day is an added strain on the amount of effective work

we are able to produce during first and second period.

Even though the district’s bell policy is not something that can be

fixed easily, getting the required amount of sleep is. By gradually

increasing your sleeping time and being careful not to deviate too

drastically from your usual sleeping schedule on the weekends, your

daytime attention span can change drastically. The added mental alertness

gained by several extra hours of sleep could be thought of as

compensation for losing that extra time to spend doing homework by

enabling you to finish your homework quicker and more accurately.

* KELLIE BROWNELL is a Newport Harbor High School junior whose columns

will appear on an occasional basis in the Community Forum section.