Teenagers and students involved in higher education are facing increasing amounts of homework and assignments. This, coupled with classes and extracurricular activities, mean that many students are having to choose between getting their work done and getting enough sleep.
So, what is the right choice? Should you make sure that you are getting eight hours of sleep a day? Or, is it better for you to skimp on sleep and make sure that all your homework is completed? Let’s take a closer look at this…
The Consequences of Too Little Sleep
Now, most students would say that they would prefer to give up on sleep if it means that all their assignments are done. This is why you will often find them pulling all-nighters or going to sleep in the wee hours of the morning once their homework is completed.
What most people don’t realize, though, is that there are negative consequences of getting too little sleep. Sure, you will have all of your assignments ready, but a lack of sleep will compromise your quality of work the next day. You will find it difficult to concentrate, will be cranky, and will find that you aren’t as productive as you need to be.
If you continue to compromise your sleep over a long period of time, there are even more consequences to deal with. Too little sleep can take a toll on your physical and mental health. As such, you may find yourself getting sick more often and may even be putting yourself at risk of developing some serious medical conditions.
How Do Late Nights Impact Quality of Homework?
It is simple enough to think that you can stay up late and get your work done. If you have ever done this, though, you will know that it isn’t easy to complete assignments at night. Because you are tired, you may find yourself dozing off or unable to concentrate for long stretches at a time.
This is especially true if your homework involves reading or studying. You may be unable to fully process this information or even retain what you are reading. Therefore, any effort that you make will be lost.
And, if you are using caffeine to stay awake, you may end up jittery instead. Most students would agree that they can’t produce high quality work later on in the night. So, although you may be getting your homework done, this doesn’t automatically mean that you will be getting a good grade.
Finding a Balance
It is clear that compromising on sleep or homework isn’t an option. So, what are you supposed to do? Well, it is all about finding a balance.
Your first step should be to organize your day a little better. Write out your daily schedule and take a look at how much free time you have in between before you are meant to go to bed. Try to do your homework during these periods.
If your homework load is considerable and you are struggling with it, it may be time for you to prioritize. For instance, take stock of any extracurricular activities that you have. If you aren’t truly passionate about these activities, you should consider letting them go.
You may want to keep most of your fun activities for the weekend. This way, you can ensure that you have enough of free time during the day to get your homework done.
Another option would be to go to bed earlier and wake up earlier as well, all while making sure that you are getting around eight hours of sleep a night. Most students don’t consider doing their homework in the morning and so may be losing out on an opportunity here.
Of course, to go to bed earlier, it is important to take certain steps. Cut down on your screen time and how much time you spend on your phone in the evenings. After all, many students are on their phones while lying in bed.
To maximize your efforts, try keeping your phone outside of your bedroom before going to sleep. This will help you to resist temptation to keep checking it every so often.
If you are in high school and you find that your homework is just too much to bear despite all your efforts, you may need to have a conversation with your parents. Talk to them about how you have tried to structure your day to get more work done but have still failed.
Your parents may then be able to speak to your teachers or the school. After all, many other students may be having the same problem as you. Therefore, the teachers may be able to work with you to create a better schedule for everyone involved.
As you can see, you don’t have to choose sleep or homework, it is possible to balance both. So, go ahead and figure out a healthier schedule for yourself.