By Sara Steele
EE Staff Writer
Why was waking up for school so much easier when a person was in elementary school? Oh, that’s right, because it started later! Elementary school students have it way too good these days, and things should change. Younger children have more energy in the morning, but for high school students, being up at six every morning feels like torture, especially when homework takes until 11:30 the night before. It only makes sense to push the start time of high school back so the students are able to sleep.
Honestly, I’m tired of teachers asking why we are all so quiet and dead during 1st period. It’s because it’s 7:30 in the morning. Younger children would be more than happy to swap places with high school students and get to their crayon boxes faster, while high school students would be able to sleep longer, and be a little more pleasant in the morning. Fellow senior, Alexa and little brother JJ, had this to say:
Me: On a scale of 1-10 how much does sleep mean to you?
Alexa: Ten, maybe even eleven hours. I love it. I need it, and without it I’m a completely different person.
JJ: (laughing) yeah, she is.
Alexa: (yelling) JJ get out of here you’re so annoying.
Me: What do you do to get the best night’s sleep you can?
Alexa: I try to get all my work done in school so I can get to bed as early as possible. I have basketball almost every night so I love being able to come home, take a shower, and get right into bed.
Me: What about sleeping makes you happy?
Alexa: Everything about it. I love not having to do anything and being underneath blankets with a bunch of pillows and I don’t even know I just love it. It’s magical.
Me: If you could change one thing about your sleeping habits, what would it be?
Alexa: Nothing really. I would sleep more, as much as possible. I’m not a lazy person I swear. I’m just really busy so I love my down time. I’d probably want to sleep in later. I don’t mind staying up late for something, but waking up the next day is just brutal. I’ve skipped my first 2 periods before just so I could sleep in.
Me: Do you regret that?
Alexa: NO. Absolutely not, it was great.
Teenagers love sleeping. That’s just the way it is, and I don’t think anything can change that. It is, therefore, important that you have a nightly routine in order to have a better chance of getting a good night’s sleep. This is a complete list of steps that are part of a risk-free “getting ready for bed” system.
Hot Bath
Taking a soothing hot bath or shower will help you unwind from your long day, and let you decompress from stress and other bothersome factors.
Get Comfy!
Taking off those stiff jeans and belt and slipping into sweats and slippers will relax your body and mind.
Brush Away!
Brushing your hair and teeth will tell your body its time to slow down and relax, and you’ll also have better hygiene!
A Chapter Every Night
Start reading a book and read one chapter every night. This will give you something to look forward when you go to bed, and reading mentally tires you!
Stick to a Schedule
Yes, it is hard to have a set bedtime every night with such busy lives, but try your best to stick to a time that doesn’t fluctuate by more than a half hour.
Play Favorites
Sleeping with the same pillows and blankets every night will help you sleep better than switching it up. The touch of a familiar blanket that you constantly sleep with will send signals to your brain, which will in turn remember the sleepy feeling.
Let high school students sleep in later. Seems like an easy fix, but, unfortunately, high school students should not get their hopes up for a longer sleep any time soon. Don’t even dream about it.