When told to picture an Academic Magnet high school senior, I automatically think of energy drinks, procrastination, and dark eye bags. I would be lying if I said that I wasn’t warned about the intimidating workload I would be faced with during my time at Magnet. If we’re being honest, though, I do not spend all my late nights studying and scribbling away at my notes. I am usually anxiously scrolling through every app in my phone while mapping out in my head all the assignments I have to get done in only a couple hours. My late night is always followed with an early morning because of the busy trek on 526 every morning, leaving me exhausted for my next school day. The CDC recommends that children from the ages thirteen to eighteen should be getting eight to ten hours of sleep per twenty-four hours. If you wake up at 7 am on school mornings, this means that you should be sound asleep by 9 pm in order to get the best sleep. I asked Magnet seniors about their sleep schedule to really find out if anyone is getting the perfect amount of sleep that they need to fuel their next day.
The Survey Questions:
- How late do you go to sleep on a school night?
- What is keeping you busy from going to sleep at night?
- Do you wake up in the morning and wish that you went to sleep at a different time?
- Addie Hanna (12)
1. How late do you go to sleep on a school night?
Addie very confidently responds with “10:30 pm”. She then thinks for a moment and says, “maybe 11 pm, SOMETIMES”.
2. What is keeping you busy from going to sleep at night?
“I watch a show, go on my phone, I do homework.. actually I don’t”. Addie’s got quite the packed evening for such an early bedtime. She eats dinner really late and always takes night showers. “I didn’t shower last night so that’s why my hair looks like this”, she added. Addie then tells me to include a warning to everyone that she values her sleep because she “wouldn’t be able to function without it”. Same girl, same.
3. Do you wake up in the morning and wish that you went to sleep at a different time?
Addie goes to bed at same time every single night, so she has no regrets. Addie proudly states, “I have a routine that does not falter!” I’m trying to get like you, Addie.
- Harrison Crites (12)
1. How late do you go to sleep on a school night?
“About 12:30 am to 1 am.”
2. What is keeping you busy from going to sleep at night?
Harrison explains that he watches YouTube because he “doesn’t have anything better to do”, and he is having trouble falling asleep because he is having “withdrawals from melatonin”.
The melatonin craze going on lately does not get enough attention. So many teenagers can’t fall asleep without taking a melatonin gummy every single night. You are not alone, Harrison!
3. Do you wake up in the morning and wish that you went to sleep at a different time?
Harrison calmly responds, “Yes, I wish I went to bed earlier.” The look of disappointment and regret on his face said all I needed to know. There is no worse feeling than waking up in the morning and wishing you could go back in time just to tell yourself that the YouTube video is not really worth the extra ten minutes of sleep.
- Ford Martin (12)
1. How late do you go to sleep on a school night?
“Typically around 11 pm.”
Not too shabby, Ford.
2. What is keeping you busy from going to sleep at night?
Ford responds that he “does homework” and then “immediately goes to sleep”.
I find it very impressive to go from homework grind mode immediately to sleepy mode, unless Ford is dozing off a little while finishing up his work, but props to him for incredible efficiency!
3. Do you wake up in the morning and wish that you went to sleep at a different time?
“I wake up in the morning and wish I didn’t have to wake up in the morning,” Ford responds with a pitiful chuckle. I like waking up in the afternoon, too!
- Jordan Burrel (12)
1. How late do you go to sleep on a school night?
Jordan states that she is “actually asleep at 11:55”.
2. What is keeping you busy from going to sleep at night?
“Watching Gossip Girl or scrolling on TikTok because it helps calm me down into more of a sleeping mode. It takes a lot for me to fall asleep because I am such a night owl, so TV helps”. I am right with you, Jordan. Night owls are superior… (but maybe not during the school day).
3. Do you wake up in the morning and wish that you went to sleep at a different time?
Jordan lifts her chin and proudly responds, “honestly, no”. Love that for you, Jordan. No regrets!!
- Charlie Zaifert (12)
1. How late do you go to sleep on a school night?
“I have a health app set up on my phone to tell me to go to sleep at 10:30 pm, so I turn off my TV at 10:30 pm, go on TikTok for a few minutes, then fall asleep at 11 pm”.
Wow. You really seem to be on top of things. #selfcare
2. What is keeping you busy from going to sleep at night?
Charlie tells me that she watches TV (“anything on Netflix, but right now, The OA”) and scrolls on TikTok to get into her “bedtime mood”. She then assures me that she is “a pretty good sleeper”.
3. Do you wake up in the morning and wish that you went to sleep at a different time?
Charlie responds, “usually not, I just wish I didn’t have to get up in general to go to school”.
Hey, let’s flip that attitude around. Peace, love, and high school!!
The main piece of advice I can give to my fellow students is PUT THE PHONE AWAY!! Trust me, you will feel so much better in the morning with an extra hour or two of sleep. The TikTok’s or Instagram reels are really not worth it. You got this!
