Upon entering high school, we are encouraged to be “the well-rounded student”. From an early age an image is threaded into our minds, ourselves as the one who can do it all: the star athlete, the straight A student, the devoted employee, the gifted artist, but the reality is very few can pull it off without giving something up in return: sleep!

Be honest, people, how many hours of sleep did you get last night?

You need sleep to function, right? So why is it when asked this question most high schoolers answer under eight hours. If your answer was under eight hours, according to the National Sleep Foundation, you are considered sleep deprived.

How does sleep deprivation affect day to day activities? Here are the facts: lack of sleep lowers teens’ ability to concentrate and stay on task, causing bad grades. Another side effect to being a well-rounded student  is aggression. Considering the time you are depriving your body to recharge, it is no wonder aggression is as frequent in kids our age as it is.

This is what I know from first-hand experience. Yes, cramming on that English paper and staying up till three in the morning means you’ve completed the assignment on time.  But it also means that the quality of your work isn’t as good as it could be.

Listed below are the consequences of not getting a good night’s sleep.

Although it is important to complete homework, your well being should not be sacrificed. So to ensure that it isn’t, be sure to get a good night’s sleep.