According to the National Sleep Foundation, teenagers need eight to ten hours of sleep per night to function in their best condition the following day. Unfortunately, one study has found that only approximately 15 percent of teenagers have reported sleeping the bare minimum.

“This generation is definitely more sleep deprived than my group,” stated Mr. Chris Kribs, Central World History and Geography instructor as well as the Track and Field coach. “This is probably due to the obsession this generation has with their social media.”

Sleep deprivation is most common among high school athletes as they are one of the most active students having to balance their academics, their extracurricular activities, as well as any responsibilities they may have at home.

“Sometimes, when I have a game or a meet, I take a 30 minute nap and afterwards, I do homework until 11 o’clock,” commented Delaynie France, a sophomore soccer player. “Sometimes I end up going practice or games with little sleep and it’s awful.”

It is apparent that maintaining a constant sleep schedule is difficult among athletes; not only is sleep an important factor in one’s academic success, it is also a crucial factor for a healthy body as well as better athletic performance.

“Sleep is extremely important for an athlete,” elucidated Kribs. “Sleep is when the body recovers energy and heals from any injuries that may have been sustained by the athlete. When an athlete fails to get enough sleep not only does it affect their health, it is also a critical blow to their performance. They may experience delayed reactions, missed assignments, lack of performance, suffer from simple mistakes, and just can’t think or function correctly.”

While some athletes push through the night, trying to finish their responsibilities, others, although not neglecting their responsibilities, reach a limit and retire for the night.

“I get about six to seven hours of sleep a night on average. When it’s really late, I’m tired and I know that I won’t get my work done in time before I reach my limit, I just go to bed,” explained junior Cassidy Simms, who plays softball for Central. “I know that I won’t be able to get any quality work done, not to mention, I know that I will be too tired to function correctly the next day.”

“As far as I know, there is not any known hazards to oversleeping,” concluded Kribs. “I suggest that athletes and students in general get at least eight hours of sleep a night.”

Although, keeping up with different academic and social activities is important to control, so is a good night sleep.