"Should teenagers give up their sleep for studies?" -- Matipa Mutoti

Teens are faced with a lot of things that compete for their time, especially with such little time in the day. Older siblings having to look after younger brothers and sisters, clubs, sports teams and activities, school and even spending time with friends. There is simply not enough time to do it all. Therefore teens find themselves giving up something to make time to study. Far too often, it is sleep that they give up.

Teenagers have started to believe that it is crucial to study for those few extra hours into the night assuming it will be beneficial for them. However, they do not realise that they cause themselves more harm than good - physically, mentally and emotionally.

Sleep is an important part of any healthy human being’s life. It is required for the body to rest and recuperate especially after a long day of exertion. With little or no sleep, the body is unable to do either of those possibly resulting in stunted growth and development.

Furthermore, one might think stunted growth and development may be a small price to pay for a possible 100% at the end of the day but that is not the case. Sleep deprivation can lead to heart attacks, high blood pressure as well as ageing skin, strokes and diabetes.

Students who sleep less than six to seven hours a night find it harder to concentrate at school. Due to the lack of rest and recuperation, the body will begin to automatically shut down even though the mind wills it to stay awake. This causes situations whereby the student falls asleep during class. Not only will the student have the tendency to fall asleep in class; they will also lack focus and concentration therefore forgetting what was taught to them in class. The student has to use his or her own time catching up therefore creating an endless cycle which is hard to break.

Teenagers are generally very hormonal. Lack of sleep intensifies the emotions caused by the hormones making them emotionally unstable. This instability can lead to depression which is becoming common amongst teenagers.

In addition, research has confirmed students who study more tend to earn higher grades. Teens have the perception that to have more study time they must sleep late but they are wrong. It all depends on how the teens manage their time. They should try and balance everything they do equally and  keep that schedule constant.

Teens also feel peer pressured by what their peers are doing. At schools like Arundel, girls feel like if they are not waking up early and sleeping late studying then they are being lazy therefore will not  get good results at the end of the year. Teenagers should stop this competitive mentality and acquire study methods that do not put their lives at risk.

I believe that teens should not be sacrificing their sleep for the grades they want to achieve but should not procrastinate and manage their time well. Is it really worth risking your life over a few tests?

Matipa Mutoti