Carissa Parry
Photo of WVHS student asleep while doing assignment, work and homework has her so slumped she dozed off in class. If you want to see what sleepiness looks like at WVHS, check out the instagram page @wvhs_slumpy.
For high school students, sleep goes further and further down the list of priorities. We think back to the “good old days” in preschool or kindergarten when we would get a naptime. High school is a stage where teens are still developing physically and mentally, which takes a large toll on our sleep.
In preschool and kindergarten, children get naps due to their physical and mental development, intending to help retain information and improve mood—all of which apply to teenagers. Not only are teenagers sleep-deprived from their academics and extracurriculars, but also from their physical state.
Certainly, kids aged 3-6 don’t involve themselves in sports or jobs like high school students do, or lose sleep over homework and studies. Having a break dedicated to rest will allow students to de-stress and recharge, and even catch up on sleep they were stripped of the night before.”
Now, for those who say we’re “too old” to be granted a naptime, according to K12 Dive, companies such as Google, Proctor, and Gamble give their employees nap breaks if needed. Google even designed “pods” specifically for naps, to increase productivity and reducing stress. Therefore, getting older doesn’t mean we need less sleep.
So what would a “naptime” or “quiet time” look like in a high school? While keeping in mind that a 20-30 minute nap is ideal for boosted energy, students could be given a 20-25 minute break between classes, or even an extended lunch. While it would make the school day longer, it will be time well spent. Meaning classes will be more productive.
On the other hand, Spanish teacher Mr. Smeraglio notes that society might find such a change difficult. Smeraglio also spoke on the time he spent in Spain, where “the country’s idea is that in the middle of the day, you go home, you spend time with your family, and then you return to school in the afternoon/evening.”
Mrs. Zimmerman thinks naps would be super beneficial and a “game changer.” She also points out how she notices a drop in energy in her students towards the end of the day, and even notes that she has a lot of students falling asleep in class.
If you spent a week observing Wilsonville High School, you would notice many students struggling to stay awake. Kylie McCormick says she falls asleep in class very often, and finds that she struggles to do her work almost every day because of her fatigue.
Needless to say, having a naptime is easier said than done, and comes with more questions such as: How do we make sure students actually use the time for rest? However, these are questions worth looking into, because exhaustion is something most students struggle with. High school is challenging enough without the struggle of fighting fatigue.