How do you sleep at night? McNicholas students need to set sleep schedule

By Maeve Rice

Getting stuck between homework and hashtags, students at McNick continue to push through the balance of school, sports, sleep, and screens.

After a recent survey by the Milestone, students and staff were asked to rank how they prioritize sports, social media, homework, and sleep. The majority of the 137 respondents stated that homework is their first priority over sleep, sports, and social media, 35% of students and faculty chose homework as the first option, 29% chose sleep, 27% chose sports as their first, and 9% chose social media.

Science teacher, Ms. Cat Humphries, said teenagers need at least 9-10 hours of sleep per night. “We now are messing with our circadian rhythm by having a bright light in our face,” Humphries said about phone usage at night. Circadian rhythm is the body’s natural 24-hour clock, telling it when to sleep and when to wake up. Light is what influences the internal clock inside of the body, which is why experts suggest turning off devices at least an hour before bed.

In a study by the Cleveland Clinic, there are habits teens could change that prevent them from being able to sleep. Reducing or eliminating the intake of caffeine in energy drinks, coffee, or soda is one place to start. There are also changes everyone can do to obtain sleep, including using white noise or minimizing stimulation before bed. Freshman Matthew Becker said, “I take melatonin, need 3 fans to sleep, my room needs to be pitch black, and since my fish has a night light, I have to turn it off to sleep.”

Junior volleyball player Allie Runte said, “I need a fan to sleep, and I play white noise on my phone.” Upon waking, avoid going straight to turning on the T.V., computer, iPad, or phone. “[When you wake up], you shouldn’t immediately be going on your phone. Give yourself some time to wake your brain up and go drink some water,” Humphries said.

According to the National Institutes of Health, the term “social jetlag” can occur when those who miss sleep through the week then try to catch back up to the sleep hours on the weekend. Social jetlag happens when humans try to balance two different sleep schedules but instead of it helping, it interrupts humans’ circadian rhythms, which leads to sleep deprivation, trouble focusing, and health risks.

Humphries added, “I would advise [students] to get off their phones, drink more water, and sleep more.”

-MR-