February 2, 2021 The Octagon 6 Centerpoint 7 TIME IS OF THE As schoolwork and the need for socializing pile up, students find themselves pushing one of the most important activities out of their schedules — sleep. BY ARIJIT TRIVEDI & ETHAN MONASA Anxiety symptoms ucator Pat Reynolds said it’s counterpro- ends and a nap in the evening after his soc- “To hang out with your friends or do “I lay down to go to sleep. It’s 12, and Depressed mood ductive. cer practices. In total, he said he gets nine anything social, you’re basically online,” then I turn around and it’s five in the usually wake up around 10 min- Alcohol use “People who stay up all night and study to 10 hours spaced throughout the day. Boersma said. morning, and I have to get up,” Fesai said. utes before class.” and then don’t get any sleep are not going Fragmented sleep phases often result in He added that he spends a significant “There would be nights where I wouldn’t That’s junior Dylan Margolis. to be able to access what they’ve been try- unrestfulness because the body is usually amount of his free time interacting with sleep at all.” It’s 8:10 a.m. He opens his eyes School and studying ing to learn because it hasn’t gone from not getting the REM sleep it needs, Dha- his friends, more so during senior year than On average, Fesai goes to bed around “Ito the sound of his phone playing “By the short term to longer term memory,” she wan said. previously. A lot of times, conversations 10:30 p.m. and wakes up around 6:30 a.m. Schoolwork is a major factor in the Seaside.” said. During evening soccer practices, Owaidat late at night or early in the morning limit in the morning. Because staying asleep the amount of sleep students get, especially Rolling out of the lower bunk, Margolis Not getting adequate sleep can negative- feels more fatigued. But, he said it does not the amount of time he spends sleeping. whole time is a challenge, she has devised when large tests and finals are looming on sleepily slips on his back brace and trudges ly affect students’ performances on tests; hinder his ability to focus in class. He often finds himself trying to fit that numerous ways to help her fall asleep, such the horizon. over to his bathroom counter to brush his sleep deprivation limits how fast you can Procrastination is the primary cause for as reading before bed or listening to the Senior Hayden Boersma knows this all teeth. With three minutes left until class, finish a task and how quickly you can think his late bedtime. Owaidat has his phone white noise of a heater in her bedroom. too well. He often finds himself staying up he logs onto his PC, which he’s ironically and recall information you may need to an- and his PC in his bedroom. While the PC is In addition, she takes medicated Canna- to catch up on schoolwork. Recently, he named Hal after HAL 9000 from “2001: A swer a question, he said. not a distraction, he said the phone can be. bidiol (CBD) oils to counter her insomnia. pulled an all-nighter to prepare for his AP Space Odyssey.” Dr. Dhawan expressed similar views. Owaidat said his sleep schedule has be- With both insomnia and anxiety running English and AP Microeconomics finals. The conga drums of “Africa” by Toto echo “The night before a test, you should try come worse recently. Earlier in high school, in her family, she has a support system of through the computer’s speakers as the red and get as much rest as possible,” Dhawan he went to bed by 2 a.m. or 3 a.m. people who can help her cope. eye of Hal stares at Margolis — busy trying said. Since he has maintained the same sleep “I think it’s important to take time for to remember his Zoom password — through Boersma and Margolis are well aware schedule for so long, he has found it hard yourself and journal or talk about what his PC screen. of the lower energy levels associated with to break. you’re feeling with somebody you love,” The inconsistency and “awkwardness” of Fesai said. She has found that the more she It’s now 9:50 a.m. A look at the clock re- sleep deprivation. the hybrid schedule also makes develop- acknowledges her challenges, the better minds Margolis of his grumbling stomach “That’s my secret, Cap. I’m always tired,” Margolis said, parodying a famous scene in ing a consistent sleep schedule difficult for she is able to combat them. and his long day ahead. His five classes “The Avengers.” Boersma. One method she uses to do so is a poster — four of which are advanced placement Boersma also has seen problems arising “Nobody knows what’s going on except board where she writes down thoughts that — slowly tick by as the hands on the clock from sleep deprivation seeping into areas the students sitting there because they’re go through her mind during an anxiety at- approach 3:25 p.m., the end of the school of his life other than academics. the ones who are suffering through it,” tack. This allows her to organize what runs day, and soon, the start of paste-up, where With hopes to go pro in the video game Boersma said. through her head. Margolis must work on his page for the up- Valorant, Boersma has to set aside a few Margolis also said that the additional Thirty-six of the 51 students While her sleep issues grew worse in coming Octagon issue. He calls it a night at hours every day to consistently practice. work that six classes back-to-back brings high school, especially at the end of soph- 3 a.m., having finished his homework and polled reported an average However, he notices that his reaction times makes it hard for him to find free time omore year, she said they have improved arriving at a suitable stopping point for his of seven or less hours of sleep are often slower and that he can’t play as while getting enough sleep. more recently. page. He’ll get five hours of sleep again. well when he hasn’t had enough sleep. “For AP Calculus BC, we have all these per day. Margolis said he doesn’t regret getting This makes doing well in important tour- extra assignments,” he said. “And I’d love little sleep. He would rather stay up and naments difficult, Boersma said. to do them, but I can’t do them because I free time with his friends right before his Tips to get more sleep finish his assignments to do well in school From a poll of 51 Country Despite various attempts to correct their either don’t have the time or when I do, it’s bedtime. or socialize with his friends than get more Day high school students, sleep schedules, both Boersma and Margo- the one time I can take a break. Am I going During winter break, he tried to correct So, how can you ensure sleep quality? than six hours of sleep. the lowest reported sleep lis have failed repeatedly. to choose that one break or more home- his sleep cycle, but he ended up staying up Good sleep hygiene is key, Dhawan said. “Sleeping is for the weak,” he joked. For Margolis, sleeping early isn’t an op- work?” late, relaxing and talking with his friends, A consistent sleep schedule, using the Margolis isn’t alone, either. Sleep depri- time is three hours per day. tion. For one, he can’t do his work until further worsening his sleep schedule. bed exclusively for sleep, and keeping a vation is a widespread problem in high he’s in a quiet environment — something “The big reason why I’m so screwed up is quiet, dark and cool environment make schools across the country — 68.4% of “I stayed up for like 38 hours, and I told that only happens in his house late at Social life that I don’t have any free time,” Boersma good sleep hygiene. teenagers get less than eight hours of myself I need to fix my sleep schedule now. night. Secondly, if he went to sleep early, said. “I stay up trying to talk to my friends. He recommended avoiding caffeine from sleep, according to a 2013 survey done by So, I wanted to go to bed early the next he wouldn’t have enough time to stay on Social lives have a large impact on stu- Sure, I could change it, but it’s at the cost coffee or dark chocolate after 2 p.m. the Centers for Disease Control and Pre- night but I ended up staying up until 1 a.m. track with his work. dent’s overall well-being, with social media of being social, which is a big issue during In addition, warm showers and baths are vention(CDC). without even realizing it since I’m so used “I’m sort of in this cycle. Like ‘I have so platforms as an integral part of this. quarantine since you don’t actually see best taken several hours before bedtime as Sleep deprivation has also permeated to it,” Boersma said. much work. I have so much work. I have According to a 2018 Pew Research study, anyone.” they can also affect your ability to sleep.