May 6th, 2008

According to the American Sleep Disorders Association, the average teenager needs around 9.5 hours of sleep per night, possibly because hormones that are critical to growth and sexual maturation are released mostly during slumber. Yet studies show that teenagers generally get an average of only 7.4 hours a night. This is far short of the desired quota for healthy teens.

Researchers at Stanford University found in a study that teenagers require more sleep, by 1 to 2 hours, than do their younger 9- and 10-year-old siblings, who only require about 8 hours of sleep. This contradicts parents, since we tend to give later bed times and curfews to our children as they get older. 

 

Now, Now. As a student, I state reasons why a teenager like me barely even reach that quota of 9.5 hours sleep.

A student that takes MOSTLY APs (college level) and Honor level classes doesn't have the time to sleep. Out of all people I know, that are currently in those classes obtain an average of one to four hours of sleep.

When a paper is due for AP English, or simple Poetry Journals, most students I've known, including me BARELY sleep at all. Three, two, or an hour of sleep; sometimes taking an All-nighter for a day or two just to finish unfairly long work.

I will emphasize students who you've known are taking either Pre-Calculus Honors or AP Calculus in their Junior or Senior Year. Having four to five hour estimation of homework every single day pretty much use up student's time to do other homeworks. On the other hand, students like me could just sleep to obtain the average '7.4' hours and slack off other subjects, or not even bother answering the first question of the Math book. HENCE, due to student's guilt and fear of failing, we could just NOT sleep and finish most of it til' 4 am and (NOTE) not even 100% done, could be repolished at passing periods in school time.

Teenagers without a car, needs to wake up at least an hour earlier than the usual time most students do. Well in my scenario, I wake up at 7 am when my parents are able to drop me off to school; 6 am if I needed to walk.

Plus, CMON people. Students, ahem like me have a life too. Aside from being a nerd Mondays thru Thursdays. I slack off Fridays and go out til' whenever (HAHAHA AN EXCUSE for not sleeping early =P)

Television is not to blame for teens to sleep late. Let's think of it like this: It's more of like the idea of achieving "self" time only! The only way we get to connect and breath is thru television.

The internet could be blamed in a way, since it is addictive. But think about it, men are to blame for inventing such an invention for us teens to watch youtube movies, download mp3s, images and suchs... and blogging. lol

Now don't you guys feel, that in some point in life, you've wanted to become an animal who could sleep whenever, wherever they want? HAH

Finished AT 07:21 PM, with 3 responded