The Mycenaean

Almost every day after school, I come home and immediately fall asleep. 

Monday through Friday, I wake up at 6:10 a.m. in order to be on time for Leesville’s 7:25 a.m. start. After that, I attend school for approximately seven hours. 

My life is similar to most other American high school student. Working hard in school, then coming home to finish other priorities such as homework, sports, and work.

My younger brother, a freshman, just finished his first semester at LRHS. I quickly realized that as soon as he transitioned from middle school to high school he was also taking naps directly after school.

When he attended middle school, he never came home and took a nap, even though he balanced lacrosse and homework.

Studies show that 72.7% of American teens are slightly sleep deprived because they are getting less than eight hours of sleep on a school night. On the other hand, 57.8% of middle school students reported insufficient sleep.

I can honestly say that it’s rare for me to get at least eight hours of sleep when I have school the next morning, but when I take a nap I feel rejuvenated.

Other Leesville students also may feel sleep deprived. A poll posted by The Mycenaean on Instagram shows that 66% of students take a nap after school.

Ipek Aydin, junior said, “I get so tired when I do all my work at school, so I need to nap after school.” 

Teens actually need more sleep than little kids, with experts recommending over nine hours of sleep a night in order to be healthy.

Hormone changes lead to teens feeling more awake at midnight. Also, factors such as technology and academic pressures can result in high schoolers being sleep deprived.

Sleep deprivation is not only unhealthy for teenagers, but it can be unsafe. Sleep deprivation negatively impacts the emotional health and physical development of teens.

It might seem obvious that the solution is to go to bed earlier, but when teens have to balance school, work, extracurricular activities, and studying, getting a full night’s rest becomes an almost impossible challenge.

Instead, taking a nap after school can actually be extremely beneficial for high school students.

A study conducted by Duke National University of Singapore found that students who took an afternoon nap had a stronger memory than those who got more nightly sleep. 

Along with improving memory and learning, naps can restore energy and enhance the mood of hard working high schoolers.

“After I nap, I get more energy, so it [naps] helps me with school,” said Aydin. 

It is important that naps aren’t extremely long. According to John Hopskins Medicine, teens should nap between 30 and 40 minutes.

If naps are kept short, you won’t go too far into the sleep cycle. This ensures that the nap energizes you rather than leaving you more tired than before.

So, when my brother and I come home from a long day at school and rest for a bit before engaging in our studies, extracurriculars, and personal time we’re not doing anything wrong. Instead, we are helping our bodies to feel more awake while improving our reaction time and alertness.

Overall, many teenagers aren’t getting the recommended nine hours of sleep. Rather than trying to go to bed two hours earlier than usual, teens can incorporate a short nap into their day. Napping isn’t just for little kids, everyone can benefit from a nap, and it’s many advantages.