should i do my homework or sleep

How much time should you spend studying? Our ‘Goldilocks Day’ tool helps find the best balance of good grades and  well-being

Senior Research Fellow, Allied Health & Human Performance, University of South Australia

Professor of Health Sciences, University of South Australia

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Dot Dumuid is supported by an Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Early Career Fellowship GNT1162166 and by the Centre of Research Excellence in Driving Global Investment in Adolescent Health funded by NHMRC GNT1171981.

Tim Olds receives funding from the NHMRC and the ARC.

University of South Australia provides funding as a member of The Conversation AU.

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For students, as for all of us, life is a matter of balance, trade-offs and compromise. Studying for hours on end is unlikely to lead to best academic results. And it could have negative impacts on young people’s physical, mental and social well-being.

Our recent study found the best way for young people to spend their time was different for mental health than for physical health, and even more different for school-related outcomes. Students needed to spend more time sitting for best cognitive and academic performance, but physical activity trumped sitting time for best physical health. For best mental health, longer sleep time was most important.

It’s like a game of rock, paper, scissors with time use. So, what is the sweet spot, or as Goldilocks put it, the “just right” amount of study?

Read more: Back to school: how to help your teen get enough sleep

Using our study data for Australian children aged 11 and 12, we are developing a time-optimisation tool that allows the user to define their own mental, physical and cognitive health priorities. Once the priorities are set, the tool provides real-time updates on what the user’s estimated “Goldilocks day” looks like.

More study improves grades, but not as much as you think

Over 30 years of research shows that students doing more homework get better grades. However, extra study doesn’t make as much difference as people think. An American study found the average grades of high school boys increased by only about 1.5 percentage points for every extra hour of homework per school night.

What these sorts of studies don’t consider is that the relationship between time spent doing homework and academic achievement is unlikely to be linear. A high school boy doing an extra ten hours of homework per school night is unlikely to improve his grades by 15 percentage points.

There is a simple explanation for this: doing an extra ten hours of homework after school would mean students couldn’t go to bed until the early hours of the morning. Even if they could manage this for one day, it would be unsustainable over a week, let alone a month. In any case, adequate sleep is probably critical for memory consolidation .

Read more: What's the point of homework?

As we all know, there are only 24 hours in a day. Students can’t devote more time to study without taking this time from other parts of their day. Excessive studying may become detrimental to learning ability when too much sleep time is lost.

Another US study found that, regardless of how long a student normally spent studying, sacrificing sleep to fit in more study led to learning problems on the following day. Among year 12s, cramming in an extra three hours of study almost doubled their academic problems. For example, students reported they “did not understand something taught in class” or “did poorly on a test, quiz or homework”.

Excessive study could also become unhelpful if it means students don’t have time to exercise. We know exercise is important for young people’s cognition , particularly their creative thinking, working memory and concentration.

On the one hand, then, more time spent studying is beneficial for grades. On the other hand, too much time spent studying is detrimental to grades.

We have to make trade-offs

Of course, how young people spend their time is not only important to their academic performance, but also to their health. Because what is the point of optimising school grades if it means compromising physical, mental and social well-being? And throwing everything at academic performance means other aspects of health will suffer.

US sleep researchers found the ideal amount of sleep for for 15-year-old boys’ mental health was 8 hours 45 minutes a night, but for the best school results it was one hour less.

Clearly, to find the “Goldilocks Zone” – the optimal balance of study, exercise and sleep – we need to think about more than just school grades and academic achievement.

Read more: 'It was the best five years of my life!' How sports programs are keeping disadvantaged teens at school

Looking for the Goldilocks Day

Based on our study findings , we realised the “Goldilocks Day” that was the best on average for all three domains of health (mental, physical and cognitive) would require compromises. Our optimisation algorithm estimated the Goldilocks Day with the best overall compromise for 11-to-12-year-olds. The breakdown was roughly:

10.5 hours of sleep

9.5 hours of sedentary behaviour (such as sitting to study, chill out, eat and watch TV)

2.5 hours of light physical activity (chores, shopping)

1.5 hours of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (sport, running).

We also recognised that people – or the same people at different times — have different priorities. Around exam time, academic performance may become someone’s highest priority. They may then wish to manage their time in a way that leads to better study results, but without completely neglecting their mental or physical health.

To better explore these trade-offs, we developed our time-use optimisation tool based on Australian data . Although only an early prototype, the tool shows there is no “one size fits all” solution to how young people should be spending their time. However, we can be confident the best solutions will involve a healthy balance across multiple daily activities.

Just like we talk about the benefits of a balanced diet, we should start talking about the benefits of balanced time use. The better equipped young people and those supporting them are to find their optimal daily balance of sleep, sedentary behaviours and physical activities, the better their learning outcomes will be, without compromising their health and well-being.

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• children's physical health
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How to Stay Awake While Studying

Last Updated: March 21, 2024 References

This article was co-authored by Jennifer Kaifesh . Jennifer Kaifesh is the Founder of Great Expectations College Prep, a tutoring and counseling service based in Southern California. Jennifer has over 15 years of experience managing and facilitating academic tutoring and standardized test prep as it relates to the college application process. She takes a personal approach to her tutoring, and focuses on working with students to find their specific mix of pursuits that they both enjoy and excel at. She is a graduate of Northwestern University. There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 380,745 times.

Studying is hard work, and all that work often makes you tired! Sometimes, studying through your fatigue is part of the road to success and getting good grades in school. Fortunately, there are things you can do to help increase your energy and focus .

Here are 16 tricks to help you stay awake while you’re studying.

Study somewhere that’s not too comfortable.

• If you like to study at home, make yourself a dedicated study space . This could be a corner of your room with a desk and a chair or a kitchen table. Wherever you can concentrate without being too comfortable is great!

Change your study spot every day to boost your memory.

• Choose locations that fit your studying style and personality. For example, if you study best in silence, pick a library or quiet room, whereas if you prefer background noise, opt for a cafe or common area.

Turn on bright lights if you’re studying late at night.

• If your space doesn’t have much lighting, relocate to a brighter area, if possible.

Eliminate outside distractions if you can’t concentrate.

• You can also turn your phone off, leave it in a different room, or put it on “Do Not Disturb” mode, so you don’t receive any texts or notifications.
• If you’re easily distracted by surfing the Internet, use an app or Internet browser extension that lets you set controls to block certain websites for a set period of time so you aren’t tempted.

Listen to upbeat music to keep your brain alert.

• If you’re in a public place, use headphones to listen to the music of your choice.
• Look for upbeat playlists online or on a music app. You can also find premade playlists with music specifically for studying.

Read out loud to engage your brain.

• If you don’t want to read everything out loud, you can also try talking to yourself when you study. For example, when you finish studying a topic, say out loud: “Okay, I finished studying for my history test, now I can study for the English exam!”

Chew mint gum while you study to wake up your brain.

• Keep a pack of mint-flavored gum in your backpack or pencil case so you always have it with you when you’re studying.

Eat foods that are high in protein for longer-lasting energy.

• Avoid sugary foods or drinks, like cookies or soda, along with carb-heavy foods, like potato chips. These might give you a quick boost, but you’ll crash later on.
• Try to eat every 2 to 3 hours, even if it’s just something small, to avoid low blood sugar, which makes you feel sleepy.

Drink lots of water to fight fatigue.

• Avoid alcohol, particularly on days when you're studying or the day before. Drinking alcohol regularly can negatively affect your brain function along with dehydrating you.

Drink a caffeinated beverage if you want an instant boost.

• Be aware that coffee and other caffeinated drinks can actually be dehydrating, so you should drink water with them, too.
• Avoid drinking coffee or consuming anything with caffeine, like chocolate, soda, or tea, within 6 hours of when you plan to go to bed or you may have trouble falling asleep.
• Don’t consume more than 200 mg of caffeine in a day. Too much caffeine can be very dangerous for your heart and can also worsen existing conditions, like anxiety or depression.
• Avoid energy drinks and pills that contain caffeine and/or chemicals. While quick fixes are tempting, they can have dangerous side effects, like increased anxiety or even heart problems. [9] X Research source

Study in 25-minute intervals if you like having scheduled breaks.

• Use your 5-minute breaks to relax and recharge your brain. Do something unrelated to what you’re studying, like stretching out your body or watching a funny YouTube video.
• Take a longer 30-minute break after you complete 4 intervals.
• Try to keep each total study session to no more than 5 hours long. If you study for longer than that, you’ll likely get burnt out.

Take a 10- to 20-minute nap if you’re really tired.

• If possible, choose a spot that’s quiet and dark to take your nap, which will help you get better quality sleep.
• Make sure you're getting at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night, too. Naps are a good boost but they aren't a substitute for uninterrupted sleep.

Exercise for 15 to 20 minutes to get your blood flowing.

• If you can, do your exercise outside for even more benefits. Fresh air is an instant energy boost. Instead, you can meditate for 10 minutes.
• You can also find ways to incorporate exercise into your studying. For instance, swap your chair for a stability ball to work your core while you sit, or do stretches at your desk while you read.
• If you’re studying in intervals, try taking an exercise break after each one. For example, after studying for 25 minutes, do 5 minutes of bodyweight exercises like pushups and jumping jacks.

Switch topics every 30-60 minutes to stay focused.

• If you’re studying in timed intervals, switch the topic you’re studying after each interval.
• If you're only studying for 1 class, like English, change the specific material you're reviewing if possible. For instance, start with Shakespeare, then move to Chaucer.

Organize a study group if you get tired of working alone.

• Keep your study group to 3 to 6 people. Too many people can become distracting or difficult to manage.
• Stay on task by setting group goals for each study session, like finishing 2 chapters of a textbook or covering 1 topic. Otherwise, it may be tempting to just waste time talking or goofing off.You can also do meditation for 10minutes

Try to get 7-8 hours of sleep every night.

• Note that this is how much sleep the average person needs. Some people need a few more hours to feel rested and others do fine with less. The most important thing is to be consistent with your sleep. If you feel good with 6 hours of sleep a night or need up to 9, that’s fine too.

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• ↑ https://www.opencolleges.edu.au/informed/features/how-does-the-brain-learn-best-10-smart-studying-strategies/
• ↑ https://www.aiuniv.edu/blog/2016/may/stay-energized-for-late-night-studying
• ↑ https://success.oregonstate.edu/learning/ready-set-concentrate
• ↑ https://www.fastcompany.com/3022942/the-surprising-science-behind-what-music-does-to-our-brains
• ↑ https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/featurephilia/story/how-to-stop-falling-asleep-while-studying-17-tips-to-keep-you-awake-for-board-exam-preparation-1648066-2020-02-19
• ↑ https://sites.psu.edu/siowfa15/2015/09/17/does-chewing-gum-while-studying-help-you-remember/
• ↑ https://www.cnn.com/2017/04/26/health/energy-drinks-health-concerns-explainer/index.html
• ↑ https://learningcommons.ubc.ca/the-pomodoro-technique-study-more-efficiently-take-more-breaks/
• ↑ https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/how-take-nap-will-actually-boost-your-energy-ncna793681
• ↑ https://www.auamed.org/blog/12-ways-exercise-study/
• ↑ https://news.fiu.edu/2013/12/8-study-tips-that-will-help-you-overcome-finals-week/70573
• ↑ https://www.rasmussen.edu/student-experience/college-life/how-to-organize-use-study-groups/

About This Article

Medical Disclaimer

The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, examination, diagnosis, or treatment. You should always contact your doctor or other qualified healthcare professional before starting, changing, or stopping any kind of health treatment.

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To stay awake while studying, chew some gum since it will increase blood flow to your brain and give you a boost of energy. If you’re snacking while studying, eat high-protein foods that provide lasting energy like trail mix, beef jerky, or string cheese rather than sugary foods that will make you crash. Since staying hydrated can help you fight off tiredness, drink at least 8 ounces of water every 1 to 2 hours. Exercise is another great way to get reenergized, so take a break and go for a short walk to wake up your muscles and get your blood flowing. If possible, walk outside since fresh air is a great energy booster. When choosing where to study, pick somewhere with lots of lighting so you don’t get drowsy working in a dim room. For more tips, including how to study in intervals to stay alert, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Homework, Sleep, and the Student Brain

At some point, every parent wishes their high school aged student would go to bed earlier as well as find time to pursue their own passions -- or maybe even choose to relax. This thought reemerged as I reread Anna Quindlen's commencement speech, A Short Guide to a Happy Life. The central message of this address, never actually stated, was: "Get a life."

But what prevents students from "getting a life," especially between September and June? One answer is homework.

Favorable Working Conditions

As a history teacher at St. Andrew's Episcopal School and director of the Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning , I want to be clear that I both give and support the idea of homework. But homework, whether good or bad, takes time and often cuts into each student's sleep, family dinner, or freedom to follow passions outside of school. For too many students, homework is too often about compliance and "not losing points" rather than about learning.

Most schools have a philosophy about homework that is challenged by each parent's experience doing homework "back in the day." Parents' common misconception is that the teachers and schools giving more homework are more challenging and therefore better teachers and schools. This is a false assumption. The amount of homework your son or daughter does each night should not be a source of pride for the quality of a school. In fact, I would suggest a different metric when evaluating your child's homework. Are you able to stay up with your son or daughter until he or she finishes those assignments? If the answer is no, then too much homework is being assigned, and you both need more of the sleep that, according to Daniel T. Willingham , is crucial to memory consolidation.

I have often joked with my students, while teaching the Progressive Movement and rise of unions between the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, that they should consider striking because of how schools violate child labor laws. If school is each student's "job," then students are working hours usually assigned to Washington, DC lawyers (combing the hours of the school day, school-sponsored activities, and homework). This would certainly be a risky strategy for changing how schools and teachers think about homework, but it certainly would gain attention. (If any of my students are reading this, don't try it!)

So how can we change things?

The Scientific Approach

In the study "What Great Homework Looks Like" from the journal Think Differently and Deeply , which connects research in how the brain learns to the instructional practice of teachers, we see moderate advantages of no more than two hours of homework for high school students. For younger students, the correlation is even smaller. Homework does teach other important, non-cognitive skills such as time management, sustained attention, and rule following, but let us not mask that as learning the content and skills that most assignments are supposed to teach.

Homework can be a powerful learning tool -- if designed and assigned correctly. I say "learning," because good homework should be an independent moment for each student or groups of students through virtual collaboration. It should be challenging and engaging enough to allow for deliberate practice of essential content and skills, but not so hard that parents are asked to recall what they learned in high school. All that usually leads to is family stress.

But even when good homework is assigned, it is the student's approach that is critical. A scientific approach to tackling their homework can actually lead to deepened learning in less time. The biggest contributor to the length of a student's homework is task switching. Too often, students jump between their work on an assignment and the lure of social media. But I have found it hard to convince students of the cost associated with such task switching. Imagine a student writing an essay for AP English class or completing math proofs for their honors geometry class. In the middle of the work, their phone announces a new text message. This is a moment of truth for the student. Should they address that text before or after they finish their assignment?

Delayed Gratification

When a student chooses to check their text, respond and then possibly take an extended dive into social media, they lose a percentage of the learning that has already happened. As a result, when they return to the AP essay or honors geometry proof, they need to retrace their learning in order to catch up to where they were. This jump, between homework and social media, is actually extending the time a student spends on an assignment. My colleagues and I coach our students to see social media as a reward for finishing an assignment. Delaying gratification is an important non-cognitive skill and one that research has shown enhances life outcomes (see the Stanford Marshmallow Test ).

At my school, the goal is to reduce the barriers for each student to meet his or her peak potential without lowering the bar. Good, purposeful homework should be part of any student's learning journey. But it takes teachers to design better homework (which can include no homework at all on some nights), parents to not see hours of homework as a measure of school quality, and students to reflect on their current homework strategies while applying new, research-backed ones. Together, we can all get more sleep -- and that, research shows, is very good for all of our brains and for each student's learning.

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Better Sleep Council Research Finds That Too Much Homework Can Actually Hurt Teens’ Performance In School

Dec 19, 2018 | Age | 0 |

According to new research from the Better Sleep Council (BSC)—the nonprofit consumer-education arm of the International Sleep Products Association—homework, rather than social pressure, is the number-one cause of teenage stress, negatively affecting their sleep and ultimately impacting their academic performance.

American teenagers said they spend 15+ hours a week on homework, and about one-third (34%) of all teens spend 20 or more hours a week. This is more than time spent at work, school clubs, social activities, and sports. When asked what causes stress in their lives, about three-quarters of teens said grades/test scores (75%) and/or homework (74%) cause stress, more than self-esteem (51%), parental expectations (45%) and even bullying (15%).

Further, more than half (57%) of all teenagers surveyed do not feel they get enough sleep. Seventy-nine percent reported getting 7 hours of sleep or less on a typical school night, more than two-thirds (67%) say they only get 5 to 7 hours of sleep on a school night, and only about one in five teens is getting 8 hours of sleep or more. Based on the BSC’s findings, the more stressed teenagers feel, the more likely they are to get less sleep, go to bed later, and wake up earlier. They are also more likely to have trouble going to sleep and staying asleep—more often than their less-stressed peers.

“We’re finding that teenagers are experiencing this cycle where they sacrifice their sleep to spend extra time on homework, which gives them more stress—but they don’t get better grades,” says Mary Helen Rogers, vice president of marketing and communications for the Better Sleep Council, in a release. “The BSC understands the impact sleep has on teenagers’ overall development, so we can help them reduce this stress through improved sleep habits.”

The BSC recommends that teens between the ages of 13-18 get 8-10 hours of sleep per night. For teens to get the sleep their bodies need for optimal school performance, they should consider the following tips:

• Establish a consistent bedtime routine. Just like they set time aside for homework, they should schedule at least 8 hours of sleep into their daily calendars. It may be challenging in the beginning, but it will help in the long run.
• Keep it quiet in the bedroom. It’s easier to sleep when there isn’t extra noise. Teens may even want to wear earplugs if their home is too noisy.
• Create a relaxing sleep environment. Make sure the bedroom is clutter-free, dark and conducive to great sleep. A cool bedroom, between 65 and 67 degrees, is ideal to help teens sleep.
• Cut back on screen time. Try cutting off screen time at least an hour before bed. The blue light emitted from electronics’ screens disturbs sleep.
• Examine their mattress. Since a mattress is an important component of a good night’s sleep, consider replacing it if it isn’t providing comfort and support, or hasn’t been changed in at least seven years.

Other takeaways on the relationship between homework, stress and sleep in teenagers include:

• Teens who feel more stress (89%) are more likely than less-stressed teens (65%) to say homework causes them stress in their lives.
• More than three-quarters (76%) of teens who feel more stress say they don’t feel they get enough sleep—which is significantly higher than teens who are not stressed, since only 42% of them feel they don’t get enough sleep.
• Teens who feel more stress (51%) are more likely than less-stressed teens (35%) to get to bed at 11 p.m. or later. Among these teens who are going to bed later, about 33% of them said they are waking up at 6 am or earlier.
• Students who go to bed earlier and awaken earlier perform better academically than those who stay up late—even to do homework.

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Why You Should Choose Sleep Over Work

• Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic

Here’s what happens to your mind and body when you miss out on too many Zzzz s.

What happens to your mind, your body, and your work, when you miss out on too much sleep?

• First and foremost, you forget how to do simple things. A single night of sleep deprivation is enough to disrupt the normal functioning of your hippocampus, the area of the brain that is central to memory and learning.
• Second, you may become less empathetic and more impatient with others. Your anxiety, aggression, and impulsive decision-making are all fueled by activity in your amygdala, which is impacted by a lack of sleep.
• Third, sleep deficit may harm your romantic or personal relationships. Being in a happy relationship will make you sleep better, and sleeping better will make your relationship better, too.

Where your work meets your life. See more from Ascend here .

Just like with most things, the value of sleep is most appreciated when we miss it. Sadly, this happens way too often, with around 30 to 40% of people experiencing sleep problems and a whopping 70 million Americans and 45 million Europeans suffering from chronic sleep deprivation.

• Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic is the Chief Innovation Officer at ManpowerGroup, a professor of business psychology at University College London and at Columbia University, co-founder of  deepersignals.com , and an associate at Harvard’s Entrepreneurial Finance Lab. He is the author of  Why Do So Many Incompetent Men Become Leaders? (and How to Fix It ) , upon which his  TEDx talk  was based. His latest book is I, Human: AI, Automation, and the Quest to Reclaim What Makes Us Unique.   Find him at  www.drtomas.com . drtcp

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Sacrificing Sleep For Study Time Doesn’t Make the Grade

Help your teen academically by promoting sleep..

Posted September 6, 2012

It’s back to school season, with students (and parents) saying goodbye to the freewheeling days of summer and returning to the structure of the academic year. The school routine typically includes early mornings and, often, late nights of homework and studying.

For students, there is increasing pressure to perform well academically, especially as they enter high school and college is on the horizon. Academic workloads increase, and so do time commitments to other extracurricular activities, including sports. It can be a real challenge to find enough time for all of this activity, and it’s not hard to see how bedtime gets pushed back later and later, to make room for studying.

It might seem like a reasonable sacrifice to give up a little sleep to hit the books late into the night, but new research says this strategy doesn’t work. This study found that students who stay up late doing homework are more likely to have academic problems the next day. This is true regardless of how much overall studying the student does, according to the study results.

Researchers at UCLA examined the daily sleep and study habits of 535 students in grades 9, 10, and 12. All the students were enrolled in Los Angeles schools, and represented a range of socioeconomic and ethnic groups. For two weeks, students kept diaries recording their daily study amounts and sleep amounts. They also kept track of two different types of academic problems:

Having trouble understanding material being taught in class

Doing poorly on tests, quizzes, or homework assignments

Researchers found that opting to delay bedtime in favor of studying was linked to an increased risk of both types of academic difficulty. And this was true regardless of the total amount of students’ study time.

The remedy to this problem is not to study less, but rather to create a schedule that allows for sufficient study time and sufficient sleep time. Is that easier said than done? Probably. But as these results indicate, extra study time at the expense of sleep is like to create academic problems, not solve them. And students who regularly stay up late are exposed to other risks of low sleep. Here’s some of what we know about how insufficient sleep can negatively affect teens:

Teens who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to engage in risky and unhealthful behaviors. This study found low sleep linked to increased likelihood of smoking , drinking, drug use, and fighting, among other risky behaviors.

Teens who sleep less are more likely to gain weight. We know that low sleep is associated with weight gain, in children as well as adults. This study found that teens who sleep less are more likely to consume more total calories in a day, as well as to eat higher fat foods and more snack foods than teens who get enough sleep.

Teens who are short on sleep are more likely to feel depressed and anxious. There’s substantial evidence that teens with sleep problems are at higher risk for mental health and behavioral problems. This National Sleep Foundation survey found that teens short on sleep were significantly more likely to experience depression , stress , excessive worrying, and anxiety .

Teenagers , as any parent knows, are predisposed to staying up late and sleeping late, which complicates things even further. This is a biological reality, not just a teenage preference! It’s not always easy to manage a teenager’s sleep schedule. Here are some strategies that can help:

Keep technology out of the bedroom. Electronic and digital devices have no place in the bedroom. Exposure to the light emitted by these devices is disruptive to sleep, and their presence at bedtime can keep teens awake—or even keep them engaged in activity while they are asleep!

Work backward to find the right bedtime. Teens need more sleep than adults, about 9 hours per night. To find the appropriate bedtime, start by identifying what time your teen needs to be rising from bed. From there, work backward to set the bedtime that will ensure your teenager gets enough rest.

Let them sleep in a little on the weekends—just not a lot. With biological and hormonal changes making teens inclined to sleep later, after a week of school your teenager may want to spend most of Saturday in bed. This much sleep isn’t healthy, and will actually make your teen feel more tired, not less. Such a variation from the weekday routine will throw your teen’s schedule off course. This doesn’t mean a little sleeping in isn’t okay. Letting your teenager sleep for an extra hour or two on weekend mornings is fine.

We all want our kids to study hard and achieve academic success. It’s important to remember that sleep is a critical part of the equation.

Sweet Dreams ,

Michael J. Breus, PhD

The Sleep Doctor™

www.thesleepdoctor.com

Michael J. Breus, Ph.D. , is a clinical psychologist and a diplomate of the American Board of Sleep Medicine. He is the author of Beauty Sleep.

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• Good sleep is essential for our health and emotional well-being.
• Getting enough sleep and good sleep quality are essential for healthy sleep.
• The amount of sleep you need changes as you age.
• Talk to your healthcare provider if you have problems sleeping.

Getting enough sleep

The daily recommended hours of sleep you need changes as you age.

Sleep Recommended Daily

0–3 months

14–17 hours 1

4–12 months

12–16 hours (including naps) 2

1–2 years

11–14 hours (including naps) 2

3–5 years

10–13 hours (including naps) 2

6–12 years

9–12 hours 2

13–17 years

8–10 hours 2

18–60 years

7 or more hours 3

61–64 years

7–9 hours 1

65 years and older

7–8 hours 1

Health benefits of sleep

Getting enough sleep can help you:

• Get sick less often.
• Stay at a healthy weight.
• Reduce stress and improve your mood.
• Improve your heart health and metabolism.
• Type 2 diabetes.
• Heart disease.
• High blood pressure.
• Lessen the risk of motor vehicle crashes and related injury or death.
• Improve your attention and memory for better perform daily activities.

Better sleep habits can help you get a good night's sleep. Habits that can improve your sleep include:

• Going to bed and getting up at the same time every day.
• Keeping your bedroom quiet, relaxing, and at a cool temperature.
• Turning off electronic devices at least 30 minutes before bedtime.
• Avoiding large meals and alcohol before bedtime.
• Avoiding caffeine in the afternoon or evening.
• Exercising regularly and maintaining a healthy diet.

Sleep quality

Quality sleep means you are getting uninterrupted and refreshing sleep. Getting quality sleep is not just about how many hours you sleep, but how well you sleep.

Signs of poor sleep quality include:

• Trouble falling asleep.
• Repeatedly waking up during the night.
• Feeling sleepy or tired even after getting enough sleep.

Sleep disorders

Some people may have health conditions that prevent them from getting enough quality sleep, no matter how hard they try. These conditions are called sleep disorders.

Common sleep disorders

Common sleep disorders include:

• Restless legs syndrome.
• Narcolepsy.
• Sleep apnea.

Talk to your healthcare provider if you regularly have problems sleeping or notice signs or symptoms of common sleep disorders.

Your provider can run tests, including sleep studies, to tell if you have a sleep disorder.

Keeping a sleep diary

Your provider may have you keep a diary of your sleep habits to better understand what's going on.

Your sleep diary should include when you:

• Wake up during the night.
• Wake up in the morning.
• Drink alcohol or caffeinated drinks.
• Take medications.

What CDC is doing

• High school students .
• CDC's PLACES has local estimates on adults not getting enough sleep.
• Hirshkowitz M, Whiton K, Albert SM, et al. The National Sleep Foundation's sleep time duration recommendations: methodology and results summary. Sleep Health . 2015;1(1):40–43.
• Paruthi S, Brooks LJ, D'Ambrosio C, et al. Recommended amount of sleep for pediatric populations: a consensus statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. J Clin Sleep Med. 2016;12(6):785–786.
• Watson NF, Badr MS, Belenky G, et al. Recommended amount of sleep for a healthy adult: a joint consensus statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research Society. Sleep . 2015;38(6):843–844.

By sharing information and resources, CDC raises awareness about the importance of sleep health and its effect on public health.

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• August 12, 2023

Managing Homework and Bedtime Routine: Striking a Balance for School-Aged Children

Managing homework and bedtime routines: striking a balance for school-aged children.

As the school year gets underway, balancing children’s homework and bedtime routine  can feel like a tightrope walk for parents. And the struggle is real—on one hand, it’s important for children to get enough sleep to support their cognitive development, memory consolidation, and learning. On the other hand, there’s a lot of homework to be done!

We’re here to guide you through the challenges of balancing homework and bedtime, so your young scholars can thrive in the classroom and under the covers.

The Importance of Sleep for School-Aged Children

Remember when naptime felt like a punishment? Turns out, sleep is the superhero of cognitive development . While our kids snooze, their brains are busy building memory bridges and sharpening their problem-solving skills. Adequate, quality sleep is the secret ingredient to their attention span, emotional resilience, and yes, even those pop quizzes.

Understanding the Challenges of Homework and Sleep

There are several challenges that can make it difficult for children to get enough sleep . First, there’s the nightly battle of sitting down to tackle homework. And then, the dreaded dilemma of: stay up to finish this assignment or prioritize sleep and go to bed? It’s a conundrum every parent faces.

Too Much Homework

Many school-aged children come home with a stack of homework that feels like more than they can complete in one night, which commonly leads to late nights and possibly sleep deprivation.

Screen Time

From TVs to smartphones, computers to tablets, many children spend hours each day using electronic devices. This screen time can stimulate the brain, interfering with their sleep and making it difficult for them to fall asleep.

Kids can experience stressors from a number of sources, including academic pressure, social demands, and even family problems at home. This stress can make it difficult not only to focus on homework but also to fall asleep and stay asleep.

Crafting a Homework Schedule that Respects Sleep Needs

Picture this: a homework schedule that respects both learning and essential snooze time. Dreamy, right? Here are a few things that parents can do to help your children create a homework management schedule that respects their sleep needs:

• Set limits on homework hours. The National Sleep Foundation recommends that children ages 9-13 should ideally get 9-11 hours of sleep per night, but sometimes it can feel like their homework workload can eat into those precious sleep hours. That’s why healthy time management habits are essential. Teaching your child how to prioritize tasks and set achievable goals can significantly impact the number of hours they spend on homework each night. Ultimately, helping them manage their workload effectively not only supports their learning journey but also ensures they have ample time for the quality sleep they need.
• Prioritize tasks. Help your child to prioritize their homework tasks so that they can focus on the most important assignments first and prevent feeling overwhelmed or stressed.
• Take breaks. Encourage your child to take breaks every 20-30 minutes while they’re working on homework. Regular breaks will help them stay focused and avoid getting burned out.
• Set a bedtime schedule and stick to it. Even on weekends, it’s important to stick to a regular bedtime schedule to regulate your child’s body clock and make it easier for them to fall asleep and stay asleep at night.
• Set a “no screen” rule for one hour before bed. The blue light emitted from screens can interfere with the production of melatonin, a hormone that helps to regulate sleep. Limiting screen time before bed will give your child’s eyes a break from the blue light emitted from screens and help them to wind down after a long day. If your child needs to use a screen before bed, finishing up homework or reading on a tablet, make sure their devices are scheduled to regularly shift into “night mode” a couple hours before bedtime.

Establishing a Consistent Bedtime Routine

A consistent bedtime routine isn’t just a calming ritual; it’s a sleep-inducing magic spell. Winding down with calming activities helps encourage sleep. Here are some healthy sleep habits to add to a nightly routine for a seamless transition to dreamland:

• Reading. Not only can reading help improve your child’s literacy skills, but it is also a great way for them to relax and unwind before bed. 
• Taking a bath. A warm bath can help to soothe the body and mind, making it easier to fall asleep.
• Listening to calming music. Create a relaxing atmosphere and promote sleep with some quiet, calming music.
• Stretching. Gentle stretching can help relax the body and mind, making it easier to fall asleep.
• Meditation. Similar to stretching, meditation can help calm the mind and body and promote relaxation before bed.

Collaborative Communication Between Parents and Children

Striking a balance between homework and bedtime can feel like a science experiment—tinkering to figure out the right ratio between enforcing the rules and going with the flow or prioritizing wellness and completing tasks. But the truth is, there is no magical equation or one-size-fits-all solution to strike the right balance between homework management and bedtime. 

In fact, a 2018 Better Sleep Council study found that homework-related stress is a significant concern for high school students, with more than three-fourths (75%) citing it as a source of stress. The study also found that students spending excessive time on homework (39% spending 3+ hours) may experience increased stress without proportional academic benefits, further underscoring the need for a more thoughtful approach to homework and its impact on sleep.

One way to help find the right balance for your kids? Keeping a line of open communication. Talk to your kids about their schoolwork and sleep needs . Our advice?

• Get their insight. Ask them about how much homework they have each night and how long they think it might take them to finish.
• Organize their workload. Get a homework planner to help them to prioritize their tasks and set achievable goals.
• Encourage participation. Involve them in crafting their routines, empowering them to take charge of their education and sleep.
• Work together. If they’re feeling overwhelmed or stressed, work together to find solutions.

This isn’t just about bedtime routine; it’s about fostering responsibility and finding balance.

Explore more sleep-related resources, tips, and research at bettersleep.org .

Related Posts

About A Day: Circadian Rhythm and Sleep, Two easy starting points to improve regularity 

Technology and Sleep: Setting Boundaries for a More Restful Night

The Importance of Sleep During Allergy Season

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Should I study or should I go (to sleep)? The influence of test schedule on the sleep behavior of undergraduates and its association with performance

Ignacio estevan.

1 Programa de Neuropsicología y Neurobiología, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay

Romina Sardi

Ana clara tejera.

2 Laboratorio de Neurociencias, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay

Bettina Tassino

3 Sección Etología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay

Associated Data

Data are available from the project Open Science Framework database ( https://osf.io/g7xfw/ ).

Sleep is crucial for college students’ well-being. Although recommended sleep duration is between 7–9 hours per day, many students do not sleep that much. Scholar demands are among the causes of observed sleep deprivation in youth. We explored the influence of having a school test on previous night sleep in first-year students and the association of sleep duration and test performance. We ran two surveys in freshman students of the Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay: 1) 97 students of the School of Sciences who took the test at the same time; and 2) 252 School of Psychology students who took the test in four successive shifts. More than 1/2 of the participants (survey #1) and almost 1/3 (survey #2) reported short regular sleep duration (< 7h). In both samples, the sleep duration of the night before the test was reduced with respect to regular nights (survey #1: 2.1 ± 0.2 h, p < 0.001; survey #2: between 1.7 ± 0.4 h and 3.6 ± 0.3 h, all p < 0.001), with more than 10% of the students who did not sleep at all. In survey 2, sleep duration increased in later shifts ( F (3,248) = 4.6, p = 0.004). Using logit regressions, we confirmed that sleep duration was positively related to test scores in both samples (survey #1: exp B = 1.15, p < 0.001; pseudo- R 2 = 0.38; survey #2: exp B = 1.03, p < 0.001; pseudo- R 2 = 0.25). Delaying test start time may prevent the reduction in sleep duration, which may also improve school performance. In addition, educational policies should include information for students about the impact of sleep on learning and of the consequences of reduced sleep duration.

Introduction

There is a consensus that adults should sleep between 7–9 hours per day [ 1 , 2 ]. Chronic short sleep duration is associated with an increase in several risk factors [ 3 ], and with an increase in the relative risk for multiple-cause mortality [ 4 ]. However, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [ 5 ], more than 30% of American young adults report short sleep duration (i.e. < 7h), and a recent meta-analysis showed a mean sleep duration among medical undergraduate students of 6.3 h per night [ 6 ].

It is well documented that biological and psycho-social changes during adolescence along with social pressures strongly influence high-school students’ short sleep duration [ 7 – 9 ]. In particular, the compromise between the natural trend of adolescents towards Eveningness and their early school schedule has been pointed out as a key factor affecting sleep duration and quality [ 10 , 11 ]. Young college undergraduate students still exhibit a delayed chronotype [ 12 ], and display a shorter sleep duration when attending morning classes with respect to evening classes [ 13 ].

Sleep is related to students’ well-being and mental health [ 14 – 17 ]. Moreover, students’ sleep duration, sleep pattern, and daytime sleepiness have been proved to affect their academic performance [ 18 – 21 ]. Comparing sleep problems to other factors influencing academic performance, Hartman & Prichard [ 22 ] found that sleep problems have similar influence in school retention and grades than other factors that receive more attention such as binge drinking or drug consumption.

Despite the relevance of sufficient sleep duration, there is some evidence that students reduce their sleep during exam periods and the night before a test [ 23 ]. An actigraphy study with final-year high school students showed a reduction in sleep duration, quality, and efficiency [ 24 ]. It has been interpreted that the increase in psychological distress and anxiety typical of exams periods affect both sleep duration and quality [ 23 – 27 ]. In addition to anxiety, using a survey with undergraduate students, Hartwig & Dunlosky [ 28 ] showed that more than half the participants often do all their study in one session previous to the test, and most of them also “cram” lots of information in this previous night sacrificing sleep hours with no benefits in their performance. In a study with American college students, almost 60% of them reported engaging at least once in all-night study sessions, which hampered their test performance [ 29 ]. Orzerch et al. [ 30 ] also found better grades among students not reporting all-night study sessions. However, other studies did not find an association between long night study sessions and test scores [ 31 , 32 ].

Although the positive association of sleep duration and academic performance seems to be well established, the influence of tests on sleep is not yet fully understood, and studies about the consequences of an acute sleep reduction previous to a test are scarce. In this study, we took advantage of the highly populated freshman University courses of the Universidad de la República, Uruguay, that require students to take tests in different shifts. We aimed to clarify how students modify their sleep habits the night before they take a test and to evaluate the association between sleep duration and academic performance.

Materials and methods

We ran two surveys in freshman students of the Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay. We used a short computer-based questionnaire to ask about students’ sleep pattern (bedtime, sleep latency, sleep end) on regular nights and the night before a mid-term test that was applied immediately after students finished the test. Questionnaire also included some items about socio-demographic information.

Statistical analyses were performed in R [ 33 ] using RStudio as an integrated development environment [ 34 ]. Throughout the text sample statistics are reported as Mean ± Standard Deviation, while estimated differences are reported as Mean ± Standard Error. All procedures were approved by the Ethics Committee of the School of Psychology, Universidad de la República, and complied with the principles outlined by the Declaration of Helsinki [ 35 ]. All participants gave their informed consent to participate using a digital form.

Undergraduate students of the first year semi-annual course of General Biology of the School of Sciences, Universidad de la República, were invited to participate in this study after finishing the mid-term test in May 2019. Ninety seven students agreed to participate ( Table 1 ), representing the 33.5% of the students who took the test. The number of correct answers for each participant in the 20 multiple-choice questions test was provided by the course teachers. Test score represent 1/3 of the final grade.

Note: In each case, time of test attendance is indicated. Discrete variables are presented as Number (Percentage); numeric variables are presented as Mean ± Standard Deviation.

a Test consisted of 20 multiple choice questions.

b Test consisted of 60 true/false questions.

Undergraduate students of the Psychology School, Universidad de la República, who took the mid-term test of Neurobiology course in June 2019 were invited to participate in this study. Neurobiology is a first year semiannual course, and almost 2200 students (74.2% females) began their grade studies in Psychology in 2019 [ 36 ]. As 1358 students took the test, they were randomly distributed in four different shifts (see schedule in Table 1 ). Each one of the four test versions consisted of 60 similar true/false questions. Two hundred fifty two students agreed to participate ( Table 1 ), representing the 18.6% of the students who took the test. In survey #2, a question inquiring about the total time spent studying previous to the test was added (“How many hours do you spend studying adding up yesterday and today hours previous to the test?”). The number of correct answers of each participant was provided by the course teachers. Test score represent 1/2 of the final grade.

Survey #1 sample was sex-biased towards females among participants ( Table 1 ; χ 2 = 8.7, p = 0.003). Mean age was 21.0 ± 5.9. Regular reported sleep duration was 6.6 ± 1.5 h, and most participants reported regular sleep duration < 7h (56.7%). Sleep duration and pattern were modified the night before taking the General Biology test ( Table 1 , Fig 1A ). Sleep duration was reduced in 2.1 ± 0.2 h ( paired-samples t -test = 9.4, p < 0.001), with 13 students (13.4%) being all-nighters. There was a moderate correlation between regular sleep duration and sleep duration before the test (r = 0.40, p < 0.001). Among sleepers, sleep onset was delayed in 1.0 ± 0.2 h ( paired-samples t -test = 6.2, p < 0.001), and sleep end was advanced in 0.5 ± 0.1 h (paired t = 4.1, p < 0.001). The delay in sleep onset was generated by an estimated delay of 1.1 ± 0.2 h in the bedtime ( paired-samples t -test = -7.5, p < 0.001), while sleep latency remained unchanged ( paired-samples t -test = 0.0, p = 1.0). A logit regression was used to study the association between the correct answer rate and sleep duration. Regular sleep was associated with the ratio of correct answers, and an hour increase in sleep duration was associated with a 10.8% increase in the odds ratio of correct answers ( z = 3.3, p < 0.001; Cragg-Uhler pseudo- R 2 = 0.11). Sleep duration before the test was also a significant predictor, and an hour increase in sleep duration was associated with a 15.0% increase in the odds ratio of correct answers ( z = 6.8, p < 0.001; Cragg-Uhler pseudo- R 2 = 0.38). The predicted correct answer rate was 52.3% for an all-nighter and 77.1% for a student who slept 8 h.

Sleep pattern among students that reported sleeping before the test from a) School of Science (survey #1); b) four test shifts in School of Psychology (survey #2).

Sleep patterns are represented from Mean sleep onset to Mean sleep end (red lines represent the Standard Deviation) for regular-days sleep (red) and for the night before the test (white). Gray and white areas indicate photoperiod calculated from sunrise and sunset on the day before the test. Start time of the test is indicated below.

Survey #2 sample was also biased towards females (87.3%; χ 2 = 140.3, p < 0.001), across shifts ( χ 2 = 0.8, p = 0.8). Mean age was 23.8 ± 7.7 years. Mean sleep duration on regular nights was 7.7 ± 1.6 h, with no differences between shifts ( F (3,248) = 1.1, p = 0.4; Table 1 ). Among participants, 31.7% reported short regular sleep duration (< 7 h), with no difference between shifts ( χ 2 = 5.3, p = 0.15). Regular sleep pattern was also similar between shifts (mean sleep onset was 0:29 ± 1:23; mean sleep end was 8:10 ± 1:36), as no difference was found in either sleep onset ( F (3,248) = 0.2, p = 0.9, Fig 1B ) or sleep end ( F (3,248) = 0.7, p = 0.5, Fig 1B ). The night before the test sleep duration was reduced: sleep in 8:00 shift was reduced in 3.6 ± 0.3 h ( paired-samples t -test = 10.9, p < 0.001), in 9:45 shift sleep was reduced in 3.0 ± 0.3 h ( paired-samples t -test = 9.1, p < 0.001), in 11:30 shift was reduced in 2.3 ± 0.4 h ( paired-samples t -test = 6.6, p < 0.001), and in 13:15 shift reduction was in 1.7 ± 0.4 h ( paired-samples t -test = 4.3, p < 0.001). A small correlation between regular sleep duration and sleep duration before was observed (r = 0.09, p = 0.032). Sleep duration before the test was different between test shifts ( F (3,248) = 4.6, p = 0.004; Table 1 ), as last shift students slept more than the first shift students (Tukey post-hoc t = -3.8, p < 0.001). All-nighters were 14.7% of participants, with no difference between test shifts ( χ 2 = 1.7, p = 0.64). Moreover, sleep reduction was different between test shifts ( F (3,248) = 4.9, p = 0.002), and Tukey post-hoc test showed significant differences between students in 8:00 vs 11:30 shift ( t = 2.6, p = 0.048), and between students in 8:00 vs 13:15 shift ( t = 3.6, p = 0.003). Sleep pattern was also modified the night before the test ( Fig 1B ). Sleep onset the night before the test was similar between test shifts ( F (3,211) = 0.9, p = 0.7), and was delayed compared to regular nights an estimated 1.3 ± 0.1 h ( paired-samples t -test = -12.6, p < 0.001), with no difference between shifts ( F (3,211) = 0.5, p = 0.7). This delay in sleep onset emerged from a delay in the bedtime of 1.3 ± 0.1 h ( paired-samples t -test = -11.9, p < 0.001), similar between shifts ( F (3,211) = 0.6, p = 0.6), as no difference was observed in the sleep latency compared to regular days ( paired-samples t -test = -0.5, p = 0.6). Sleep end was dependent on the test start time ( F (3,211) = 39.0, p < 0.001; Fig 1B ): Sleep end was delayed as test start later with all Tukey post-hoc paired comparisons significant (all p < 0.035). Sleep end difference between regular nights and the night before the test varied with test shift ( F (3,211) = 18.2, p <0.001): Sleep end was advanced 1.6 ± 0.2 h when test started at 8:00 ( paired-samples t -test = 8.0, p < 0.001) and 1.1 ± 0.2 h when test started at 9:45 ( paired-samples t -test = 5.3, p < 0.001), while no difference was observed in the other two shifts.

The association between the correct answer rate with the sleep duration and the test shift was studied using a logit regression model. Regular sleep duration did not predict test performance ( z = -1.45, p = 0.15). However, an hour increase in sleep duration before the test was associated with a 3.8% increase in the odds ratio of correct answers ( z = 5.7, p < 0.001; Cragg-Uhler pseudo- R 2 = 0.12). When the test shift was added it resulted in a significant predictor and model fit increased (Cragg-Uhler pseudo- R 2 = 0.25). Paired comparisons using Tukey adjustment showed a significant increase in the odd of correct answers in 9:45 shift (19.9%, z = 4.1, p < 0.001), 11:30 shift (22.3%, z = 4.3, p = 0.001) and 13:15 shift (36.3%, z = 5.9, p < 0.001) compared to 8:00 shift. The predicted correct answer rate was 56.7% for an all-nighter who attended the first shift and 69.0% for a student who slept 8 h and attended the fourth shift. Mean number of hours spent studying before the test was 8.0 ± 5.0 h, with no difference between test shifts ( F (3, 248) = 2.25, p = 0.08). Number of hours spent studying did not correlate with sleep before the test ( r = -0.10, p = 0.3) nor with test performance ( r = 0.03, p = 0.6).

In this study, we present data to evaluate the influence of tests on freshman college students’ sleep behavior and the influence of sleep on their academic performance. Although these issues have been addressed in previous reports [ 23 , 24 , 31 , 32 ], this is the first study to explore how sleep patterns of the night before the test change when the test is taken at different times (survey #2). Overall (survey #1 and #2), most students delayed their bedtime the night before the test, reducing their sleep duration, and more than 10% did not even sleep at all the night before. Even when the test started as late as 13:15, the sleep duration of the night before was shorter than in regular nights, and 10% of the students stayed awake all night. In addition, sleep duration was positively correlated with the number of correct answers in the test, and therefore with school grades. When analyzing these effects across shifts (survey #2), we found that sleep duration and academic performance improved as test start times were delayed.

High rate of short regular sleep was found in both surveys, with more than 1/2 (survey #1) and almost 1/3 of students (survey #2) who reported sleep duration <7 h in average per night. The rate of students with short regular sleep was higher and mean sleep duration was shorter in students of School of Science (survey #1) than in students of the Psychology School (survey #2), probably because the former were younger than the latter [ 37 ]. Similar values of sleep deprivation were previously reported in Uruguayan university students [ 38 ], and this should be a matter of concern based on the multiple consequences of chronic inadequate sleep [ 14 – 17 ].

Taking the test had a strong influence in the night before sleep behavior of students, a pattern that has been previously described using both actigraphy data and questionnaires in young students [ 23 , 24 ]. As stated by Hartwig & Dunlosky [ 28 ], sleep reduction seems to be a consequence of giving up hours of sleep to obtain more study hours prior to the test. We confirmed this general pattern in the present study as students of both surveys delayed their time to go to bed the night before the test in about 1 h, regardless of test start times.

Several previous studies reported a positive association between regular sleep duration and grades [ 32 , 39 – 42 ], while others highlight the importance of regular sleep quality, rather than duration, on academic performance [ 39 , 40 , 43 , 44 ]. We observed an association of regular sleep duration and test performance only in survey #1, as the odds ratio of correct answers increased with sleep duration. Sleep duration on the night before the test did predict test performance in survey #2, and was a better predictor of performance in survey #1 compared to regular sleep. In Uruguay, grades use a non-linear scale from 0 to 12. The fair lowest passing grade is 3 and corresponds to 60% achievement, while 90% achievement corresponds to grade 10. This complexity of the Uruguayan grading system prevented us from using grades in regressions. However, in both surveys when predicted correct answer rate was converted to grades 8 h-sleepers obtained a passing grade while all-nighters did not. Scullin [ 45 ] found a similar result using actigraphy data and showing that long-sleep students outperform short-sleep students in tests scores. The difference between surveys in regression coefficients and explained deviance may be related with the different type of questions (true/false vs multiple choice) employed in both courses, as the probability of answering correctly at random is higher in true-false type questions.

School and test shifts, an obligated solution to the insufficient universities’ infrastructure to deal with the progressively increasing number of students in many countries [ 46 ], can also be seen as an opportunistic tool to deepen the study of the influence of test start time on sleep and performance [ 47 – 49 ]. In survey #2, we found that the sleep duration of the night before the test increased as test start time was delayed. A previous study in Brazilian undergraduate students attending school in different shifts found a similar pattern [ 13 ]: sleep duration was longer in students of the afternoon-shift with respect to morning-shift ones. We also found that students’ performance was significantly higher in later shifts with respect to early ones. The enhanced performance of late-shift students is more likely due to their longer sleep duration and not to the time spent studying the day before the test, which was not significantly different across shifts. In addition to longer sleep durations, chronotype-associated differences in performance may also contribute to the differences observed between shifts [ 50 , 51 ]. To address this issue in the future, we plan to add the assessment of Morningness-Eveningness in students of the Psychology School taking tests in different shifts.

Our study has several limitations. Self-report questionnaires may overestimate sleep duration compared to objective measures [ 52 ], and short sleep prevalence may be even higher than reported among Uruguayan college students. Although data were collected immediately after the test to prevent memory blurring, future studies should include more objective measures to confirm our results. A previous study using actigraphy data found a similar pattern of sleep reduction during exam period [ 45 ]. Sleep disturbance and reduced performance may be both associated with the high levels of anxiety prior to a test [ 53 ]. However, we did not observe an increase in sleep latency before the test, a measure that has been related to anxiety levels [ 14 , 54 ]. Nevertheless, the analysis of personality-linked variables could help to get a better understanding of the interaction between students’ sleep behavior and study practice before a test.

In this study, we show that many college students reported not getting enough sleep. In addition, we found that taking a test influences students’ sleep behavior, and that the sleep duration of the night before the test is associated with test performance. Given the relevance of adequate sleep, it appears as a cost-efficient way to improve student’s academic performance and well-being [ 21 , 55 ]. Although delaying school (and tests) start times has been related to longer sleep duration and better academic performance, it seems not enough. These evidence should inspire educational policies and promote an open communication of the impact of sleep on learning and of the consequences of reduced sleep duration.

Acknowledgments

We thank everyone who participated in this study. We thank Álvaro Cabana for his suggestions for analysis.

Funding Statement

IE was supported by a 2020-2023 Scholarship from Comisión Académica de Posgrado, Universidad de la República, Uruguay. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Data Availability

• PLoS One. 2021; 16(3): e0247104.

Decision Letter 0

27 Nov 2020

PONE-D-20-18113

Should I study or should I sleep?

Dear Dr. Estevan,

Thank you for submitting your manuscript to PLOS ONE. After careful consideration, we feel that it has merit but does not fully meet PLOS ONE’s publication criteria as it currently stands. Therefore, we invite you to submit a revised version of the manuscript that addresses the points raised during the review process. The reviewers has raised some concerns especially regarding the effect size and its significance which we wish to address in the revised version.

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Reviewer #1: This is an interesting study of university students and their sleep habits prior to a mid-term examination. the authors show that the sleep time the night before an exam is less than their habitual sleep and that grades correlated with the sleep time.

My main concern is that the size of the effect is small; in survey 1, 1 hour more sleep meant 5% increase in correct answers and in survey 1, 1 hour more sleep was only associated with 1.4% increase in correct answers. These numbers may not be significant to change the overall grade for the subject. Do the authors have data instead on whether more students failed if got less sleep? Or if the overall grade (ie, A to B, B to C) was effected because of less sleep?

Lines 185 and 186: not sure that 'short sleep ratio' is previously defined; would find different wording.

Reviewer #2: This is an important topic considered by the authors and studied in an ingenious manner i.e. in the group of students being offered exams in four different shifts. This allows the opportunity to test the effect of sleep duration and timing on outcomes of the test performance.

The manuscript is well written.

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Author response to Decision Letter 0

22 Dec 2020

Please ensure that your manuscript meets PLOS ONE's style requirements, including those for file naming.

The manuscript has been revised according to the journal style requirements.

Please consider changing the title so as to meet our title format requirement

We extended the title with a description of the aims of the study.

Please clarify (on line 228) whether you can conclude about students' lack of sleep or their reported lack of sleep.

Thank you for the observation. We modified the expression to better describe our findings (line 241).

Please provide additional details regarding participant consent. In the ethics statement in the Methods and online submission information, please ensure that you have specified whether consent was informed.

The use of informed consent was included in line 90.

We note that you have stated that you will provide repository information for your data at acceptance. Should your manuscript be accepted for publication, we will hold it until you provide the relevant accession numbers or DOIs necessary to access your data.

The information was included in the Cover Letter.

Reviewer #1

Thank you for this observation. We did again the analyses using logistic regressions to explain the correct answers rate. The results did not change, but these new analyses explain a greater proportion of the deviance, better modeling the association between sleep and performance (lines 124-131 and 168-177 in Results, table 1, and lines 208-211 in Discussion). The abstract was modified accordingly (lines 32-34).

In Uruguay, grades are given in figures on a scale from 0 to 12.The fair lowest passing grade is 3 and corresponds to 60% achievement, while 91% achievement corresponds to grade 10. This complexity of the Uruguayan grading system prevented us from including the grades. Instead, we estimated the correct answer rate for extreme sleep durations of 0h and 8h (lines 130-131 and 176-177). The smaller change in survey #2 is now discussed in lines 213-216.

The expression was replaced (lines 194-195).

Submitted filename: MS.v2-Responses.docx

Decision Letter 1

PONE-D-20-18113R1

Should I study or should I go (to sleep)? The influence of test schedule on the sleep behavior of undergraduates and its association with performance.

Thank you for submitting your manuscript to PLOS ONE. After careful consideration, we feel that it has merit but does not fully meet PLOS ONE’s publication criteria as it currently stands. Therefore, we invite you to submit a revised version of the manuscript that addresses the points raised during the review process. Please amend the discussion with needed explanations.

Please submit your revised manuscript by Feb 18 2021 11:59PM. If you will need more time than this to complete your revisions, please reply to this message or contact the journal office at gro.solp@enosolp . When you're ready to submit your revision, log on to https://www.editorialmanager.com/pone/ and select the 'Submissions Needing Revision' folder to locate your manuscript file.

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Reviewer #1: All comments have been addressed

2. Is the manuscript technically sound, and do the data support the conclusions?

3. Has the statistical analysis been performed appropriately and rigorously?

4. Have the authors made all data underlying the findings in their manuscript fully available?

5. Is the manuscript presented in an intelligible fashion and written in standard English?

6. Review Comments to the Author

Reviewer #1: The authors have better explained the grading system in Uruguay and why they cannot provide 'grades' per se. This explanation would also be helpful to other readers and therefore my final recommendation is that the sentences written to me about grading be added to the Discussion. I think important as clearly the predicted grades on line 131 represent 'failure' v. 'passing.'

7. PLOS authors have the option to publish the peer review history of their article ( what does this mean? ). If published, this will include your full peer review and any attached files.

Author response to Decision Letter 1

29 Jan 2021

As suggested, sentences describing the grading system in Uruguay were included in the discussion.

Submitted filename: MS.v3-Response to Reviewers.docx

Decision Letter 2

PONE-D-20-18113R2

We’re pleased to inform you that your manuscript has been judged scientifically suitable for publication and will be formally accepted for publication once it meets all outstanding technical requirements.

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Acceptance letter

15 Feb 2021

Dear Dr. Estevan:

I'm pleased to inform you that your manuscript has been deemed suitable for publication in PLOS ONE. Congratulations! Your manuscript is now with our production department.

If your institution or institutions have a press office, please let them know about your upcoming paper now to help maximize its impact. If they'll be preparing press materials, please inform our press team within the next 48 hours. Your manuscript will remain under strict press embargo until 2 pm Eastern Time on the date of publication. For more information please contact gro.solp@sserpeno .

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on behalf of

Dr. Mohammed Saqr

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Put this information right at your fingertips with my book, It’s Never Too Late To Sleep Train

Craig Canapari, MD

Proven advice for better sleep in kids and parents

Homework vs. Sleep: A Cause of Stress in Teens (And Younger Kids)

Posted on August 31, 2015 by Craig Canapari M.D.

Homework stresses kids out; there is no way around this fact. The combination of heavy homework loads and early school start times is a major cause of sleep deprivation and consequent stress in teens, but this can be a problem even in younger kids.

When I started looking into the evidence,  I was surprised to find that there is not much evidence that homework before high school benefits children.  I really love this article by Justin Coulson, a parenting expert and psychologist, detailing why he bans his school age children from doing homework , concluding from the evidence that homework does more harm than good. A recent study showed that some elementary school children had three times the recommended homework load . In spite of this, homework has started appearing even in kindergarten and the first great in spite of recommendations to the contrary. This has become a source of great stress to families.

Sleep deprivation in teenagers is an epidemic here in the US, with up to 90% of teenagers not getting enough sleep on school nights . The most important factor causing this is school start times that are too early for teenagers, who are hardwired to go to bed later and get up later compared with younger children (or grown-ups, for that matter). I’ve discussed this at length on my blog .

Another factor which can cause sleep deprivation is homework. Some studies suggest that the amount of homework which teenagers receive has stayed constant over time. I don’t pretend to be an educational expert, but I frequently see children and teenagers who have hours and hours of homework every night. This seems most common in teenagers who are striving to get into competitive colleges. This is piled on top of multiple extracurricular activities– sports, clubs, music lessons, and public service. Of course, the patients and families I see in clinic tend to be the people with the greatest difficulties with sleep. So I decided to look into this issue a bit more.

How common is excessive homework, anyway?

The recommendation of the National Education Association is that children received no more than ten minutes of homework per grade level. So a high school senior would max out at two hours of homework per night. An analysis published by the Brookings Institute concluded that there has been little change in the amount of homework assigned between 1984 and 2012 . About 15% of juniors and seniors did have greater than two hours of homework per night. Interestingly, the author also referenced a study which showed that about 15% of parents were concerned about excessive homework as well. This would suggest that the problem of excessive homework is occurring only in about one in six teenagers.

There is a perception that homework loads are excessive. This certainly may be the case in some communities or in high pressure schools. Teenagers certainly think that they have too much homework; here is a well researched piece written by a teenager  who questions the utility of large amounts of homework.

Some generalities emerge from the educational research :

• Older students get more homework than younger students
• Race may play a role, with Asian students doing more homework
• Less experienced teachers assign more homework
• Math classes are the classes most likely to assign homework

How beneficial is homework?

The US is a relatively homework intense country, but does not score as well as countries where homework is less common. In high school age kids, homework does have benefits. However, 70 minutes total seems to be the sweet spot in terms of benefits ; homework in excess of this amount is associated with decreasing test scores.

Homework clearly can have benefits– development of good organizational habits, review of materials, and improving skills such as reading and critical thinking. Homework should be assigned, however, with the goal of helping children learning, not because the teacher or school has decided that a certain amount should be assigned nightly, or because some parents want their children to get more  homework. Alfie Kohn, an educational leader and a big critic of homework. published a great article on rethinking homework . Here’s another thoughtful perspective on homework by a history teacher named Glen Whitman.

When To Worry About Excessive Homework

Obviously, I am not an educational expert. My review of this topic suggests that most children do not have an undue burden of homework. Thus, the best way to help teenagers get more sleep is to start school later . However, there are a subset of teenagers who may have an excessive amount of homework. I would define that is over two hours of homework a night, or an amount of homework that keeps children up late at night with regularity, especially given that getting enough sleep is critical for learning. No child should have to regularly decide between homework and sleep.  These factors can contribute to excessive homework:

• Unreasonable amounts of assigned homework (10 minutes/grade level)
• Excessive extracurricular activities leading to a late homework start time
• Learning problems such as ADHD or dyslexia, especially if they have not yet been diagnosed.

Some final advice:

• Teenagers:  If you cannot get your homework done at night without staying up past ten or eleven on school nights, please talk to your parents about this. They can help you. Also, recognize that there are diminishing returns; I got the worst grade I ever got in college on a biochemistry exam after pulling my one and only all-nighter. Going to sleep earlier on the night before a test might be more beneficial than sacrificing sleep to study.
• Parents: Be conscious of how late your teens are staying up and how much time they are spending on their homework. If it seems excessive, please review your child’s schedule with him or her, and have a frank conversation with your child’s teachers.
• Educators:  Ask your students how long they are spending on homework. If they seem sleepy in class, talk about this issue with them and  their parents. Try to make sure that the culture of your school is such that homework is assigned for clear educational benefits, and not simply for the sake of doing so.

I would love to hear your perspectives on these issues. Of course, to paraphrase “Bones” McCoy , “I’m a sleep doctor, not a teacher.” However, if I was asking my patients to do a nightly treatment that required an hour or more of their time, I would have to be absolutely sure that it was helpful. I’m not convinced that homework meets that standard.  Do I have this issue all wrong? Let me know in the comments.  Is the homework load excessive in your town? I would love to hear.

You May Also Be Interested In...

• Lack of Sleep is A Cause of Childhood Obesity
• Busting Sleep Myths: From Wake Windows to Sleepy…
• Finally! A Podcast All About Kids' Sleep Issues

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Daniel Wong

Top Students Who Sleep 8 Hours a Night Use These 10 Principles

Updated on September 3, 2022 By Daniel Wong 68 Comments

Students who want to be top students are busy.

You’ve got homework to do, projects to complete, extra classes to attend, and responsibilities to fulfill.

It’s not easy to lead a balanced life and get excellent grades , too. No wonder you’re sleep-deprived!

Want to hear some good news?

It doesn’t have to be this way.

You can become a top student and sleep eight hours a night. I know because I was that student.

I’ve since completed my formal education. But, if you’re curious, here are some of my academic achievements:

• I got 9 A1s for the GCE O-Levels.
• I got 4 As and 2 “Special” Paper distinctions for the GCE A-Levels.
• I received a full academic scholarship to study at Duke University in the USA.
• I did a double major at Duke and graduated summa cum laude (First Class Honours). My GPA was 3.98/4.0.
• I was inducted into three academic honour societies at Duke.

I don’t say all of this to brag — and I certainly don’t think these achievements make me a super-impressive person.

Neither do I believe the main aim of education is to become a top student.

However, by becoming a better student, you’ll learn to become more organised, focused, disciplined, and meticulous — valuable skills and qualities for lifelong success.

If you continually feel overwhelmed, you’re probably sleep-deprived, spending too much time on urgent tasks. Top students know this, so they focus on getting assignments done  before they become urgent.

Apply the 10 principles outlined in this article, and I guarantee that you’ll study more effectively , feel less stressed, and have more time for the things you love outside of school — including sleep.

FREE  QUICK ACTION GUIDE:  

Get your FREE copy of

12 Guaranteed Ways for Students to Improve Focus and Reduce Procrastination .  

The guide has already been downloaded thousands of times, so don't miss out!

“I want to sleep, but I have homework”

I’ve worked with thousands of students around the world, and many are quick to say:

“ I want to sleep, but I have homework. There just aren’t enough hours in the day! ”

I get it. You’re a busy student who wants to have an excellent GPA , so you sacrifice sleep. And you’re not alone. Studies show that some 85% of students are sleep deprived .

So, the only way to become a top student is to go to bed later and wake up earlier, right?

Well, not exactly…

Here’s the truth: If you want to do better in school, you must get enough sleep. In fact, if you’ve ever wondered how to avoid sleepiness while studying , that’s probably because you don’t get enough sleep in the first place.

Sleep is crucial to physical health, brain function, and learning.

Eight hours of sleep a night is ideal, but some students need closer to nine. Plus, it’s not just how much you sleep — how well you sleep matters, too.

I know some of you are thinking: “Eight hours of sleep sounds incredible… but also impossible.”

The secret to enjoying a good night’s sleep and academic success is studying smarter, not harder.

Top students prioritise their sleep and adjust their study routines accordingly.

So how do you study smarter? Here are just a few tips to start with:

• Space out your studying. Don’t wait until the last moment to cram for exams or finish assignments.
• Find a study space that works for you — ideally one where you won’t be distracted.
• Remember that reading isn’t studying. Reading is a good first step, but you must actively engage with the material to learn it.

What do top students do differently?

You now know it’s possible to get eight hours of sleep a night and still do well in school.

What do top students do differently to make this possible? Here are some typical traits of straight-A students:

1. Top students are disciplined

Top students don’t wait for the perfect opportunity to get started. Instead, they create a study schedule and stick to it — even when they don’t feel like it.

You’ve got a lot competing for your attention. If you find it challenging to stay focused, these strategies will help you become a disciplined student .

2. Top students value delayed gratification

Delayed gratification means putting off something fun now so you can gain something even more rewarding later.

Sure, you could watch TV or play video games for hours every day. But that will only make you feel good for a while.

How about committing to a study schedule and learning test-taking strategies ? That’s going to have long-lasting benefits.

3. Top students have good study habits

Creating a weekly routine is one of the best ways to make good study habits a way of life. Without structure, maximum productivity is impossible — and will likely lead to bad grades .

Remember, we want to study smarter, not harder. I’ll explain how to create a foolproof study routine later in this article.

4. Top students know how to motivate themselves

Does it sometimes seem impossible to start studying? Like you’re dragging a sack of heavy stones as you shuffle to your desk?

We all have days when we make excuses that prevent us from succeeding or excuses for not doing homework . These are moments when we struggle with our lack of willpower. That’s why you can’t wait for inspiration to strike.

Instead, you must learn how to motivate yourself to study, no matter how you feel.

I suggest writing down all of the reasons why you want to study hard, which may include reasons such as:

• I want to do my best.
• I want to develop a better work ethic.
• I want to prepare for my future.
• I want to learn as much as I can.
• I want to be equipped to contribute more in the future.

Put the list somewhere you can see it. When you’re having trouble finding the willpower to open that textbook, read your list. It’ll motivate you to study when you need it the most.

In Principle #6 below, I share more practical ways to motivate yourself when you need encouragement.

How to be a top student

Now that you know what top students do differently, let’s explore the 10 principles I used to get straight A’s and still sleep eight hours a night.

Principle #1: Stick to a routine

Spontaneity is a good thing. But if you want to achieve maximum productivity and your academic goals , you’ve got to have structure.

Create a weekly routine. It’s one of the most important steps to becoming a top student with a school-life balance.

Here’s how to create a weekly routine that works for you:

• Take out your calendar. (I use Google Calendar, but a hard-copy agenda also works.)
• Create events in your calendar for all your fixed, recurring commitments — things like classes, extracurriculars, family events, and religious activities.
• Set aside time daily for homework and studying. (Read my article about when is the best time to study .)
• Schedule time each day for leisure, relaxation, going out with friends, and so on.

These “fixed” appointments in your calendar will serve as a helpful guide.

Sure, these appointments might change now and then. But instead of wasting valuable time wondering what to do next, you’ll have a structure to your week. You’ll get more done — and likely have more free time, too.

Principle #2: Write everything down

When I say “everything”, I mean it.

Productivity expert David Allen says, “ Your brain is a thinking tool, not a storage device. ”

Don’t trust your brain to recall information like:

• Homework assignments
• Project due dates
• Test or exam dates
• Family events
• Project meeting dates/times
• Miscellaneous tasks
• Ideas that pop into your head

Have you ever forgotten a deadline or meeting? Of course — we all have! That’s because your brain doesn’t always remember such information perfectly.

So write it down in an “everything” list. You can use a notebook or an app like Google Keep . Then, follow this system:

1. Once a day, review your “everything” list.

• If it’s a date you need to keep track of, mark it down in your calendar.
• If it’s a task that will take three minutes or less to complete, do it immediately.
• If it’s a task that will take more than three minutes, schedule it as an appointment in your calendar.
• If it’s an idea or information you’d like to keep for future reference, save it in a document in Dropbox or Google Drive .

This process only takes five to ten minutes a day, but will help you stay on top of your responsibilities. And it’s the system top students use to save valuable mental energy, too.

2. At the end of each day, plan for the following day.

Before you stop work for the day, review your “everything” list and calendar.

If there are any tasks you weren’t able to complete, make a new appointment to finish them. This way, you stay organised, and nothing falls to the last minute.

3. Every Sunday, review your upcoming events for the next two to three weeks.

Check your calendar every Sunday to review important events like tests, project due dates, or class presentations.

If necessary, note in your calendar when you need to begin preparations for the event.

For example, if you have a big history test in two weeks, you might make an appointment to start studying this coming Tuesday.

Principle #3: Make sleep and exercise a priority

You now know that sleep improves memory and learning. Well, so does exercise.

Sleep and exercise also lower the risk of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and many other illnesses.

If you want to be a top student, you’ve got to prioritise sleep and exercise.

“Being busy” isn’t an excuse. After all, you always find time to eat and shower, right?

When I made it a priority to sleep eight hours every night at university, my concentration, memory, and mood improved — and so did my grades!

Because of my increased focus, I took on more responsibilities outside of school and still had a social life, too.

Here are some practical ways top students prioritise sleep and exercise:

• Decide that sleep and exercise are non-negotiables (just like eating and showering).
• Determine how much sleep and exercise you want to get.
• Choose a consistent bedtime.
• Set a daily alarm as a reminder to go to bed on time.
• Schedule sleep and exercise into your calendar; make them part of your routine.
• Make a rule that you aren’t allowed to use your phone in bed.
• Remove all electronic devices from your bedroom.
• Find an exercise partner.
• Tell at least two or three people about your sleep and exercise goals.
• Write down these goals.
• Review these goals several times a week.

Don’t make too many changes at once. Start small and make gradual progress. Soon, you’ll be a better, happier, and healthier student!

Principle #4: Keep up with the work

It’s not always easy to stay on top of your work. But if you want to become a better student — and not one who is continually stressed — consistency is key.

Here are some practical tips I recommend to keep up with schoolwork:

1. Complete your homework at least a day or two before it’s due.

If you’re following Principle #2 and writing everything down, this should be manageable.

2. Skim new topics before your teacher covers them in class.

A day or two before you learn a new topic, skim through the relevant notes or textbook chapter. Pay attention to the learning objectives, headings, diagrams, and chapter summary.

You’ll get a good overview of the topic and grasp the new concepts more quickly in class.

3. Review any new information later the same day.

Let’s say you learned about respiration in biology class, the Treaty of Versailles in history class, and population dynamics in geography class.

Later in the day, review your notes and check your understanding of each topic. This way, you won’t fall behind.

4. Clarify your doubts immediately.

Don’t wait until the next test or exam to do this, as this will cause unnecessary anxiety.

Plus, anxious students are rarely top students. Set yourself up for success by asking questions when you have them.

5. Use online resources.

If you don’t understand your teacher, you can always turn to the Internet.

There are countless educational resources available online. These are three of my favourites:

• Khan Academy
• BBC – GCSE Bitesize

6. Test yourself often.

After you’ve studied a topic:

• Test yourself.
• Check that you’ve memorised the relevant equations, definitions, concepts, and facts.
• Do some practice questions to ensure you’ve mastered the topic.

7. Attend every single class.

Is your teacher the most boring instructor on the planet?

Attend class anyway.

Your teacher knows the material far better than you do as a student. Your teacher also knows which concepts are important. Attend every class, so you don’t waste time studying irrelevant information.

No matter how monotonous your teacher is, show up with a positive attitude, and you’ll learn something from each class.

8. When it comes to projects, always have a plan.

Do you rush to complete a project a few days before it’s due? That will lead to sleep deprivation and undone assignments.

If you want to become a top student, always make a plan. Start by identifying the following:

Then, use a tool like Asana or Trello to manage your projects. You’ll finish your tasks more efficiently and successfully.

9. Start your test preparation early.

You’re now following top students’ Principle #2, so you’re scheduling the dates you need to start studying for upcoming tests. Periodically review the topics, so you don’t need to cram for tests.

Before you start studying for an exam, clarify which topics your teacher will include, as well as the length and format of the test.

Armed with this knowledge, you can focus on studying the relevant information.

Principle #5: Focus on achieving progress, not perfection

Do you ever feel like you’re not making progress towards your goals? Or that your progress is too slow?

On your journey to becoming a top student, you’ll face challenges and disappointments.

Tests in which you underperform. Essays that your teacher doesn’t like. Group projects that turn out to be a mess.

Remember that the goal is progress, not perfection.

Set process-based goals instead of outcome-based ones.

When you set process-based goals, you set yourself up for success. That’s because you can’t always control outcomes, but you can control processes.

Here are some examples of process-based goals:

• Read one newspaper article and learn at least five new words a day.
• Do at least two extra math practice questions a day.
• Sleep at least seven hours a night on school nights.
• Exercise for at least 10 minutes a day before dinner.
• Check your social media feed a maximum of three times a day.
• Study for at least two hours a day on weekdays and three hours a day on weekends.
• Start preparing for tests at least two weeks in advance.

This way, you will continually work towards your academic goals without fixating on a specific outcome.

You’ll begin to enjoy the process of improving and developing — and be much more likely to get the results you want, too.

Now, I’m not saying the outcome doesn’t matter. But it’s the process that counts in the long run. So focus on continual progress, and, like other top students, you will accomplish your goals over time.

Principle #6: Stay motivated using practical strategies

No matter how badly you want to become a top student, there will be times when you don’t feel like studying. How do you stop procrastinating on your homework ?

Even if you’re driven to reach your goals and you want to make your teachers proud, there will be moments when…

… you feel like lying in bed all day.

… you want to watch YouTube videos non-stop.

… you’d rather do anything other than schoolwork.

What’s a driven but unmotivated student to do on days like these?

Try these practical strategies to become a top student who gets things done no matter what:

• Reward yourself when you finish a task.
• Set a timer for three minutes. Get to work and tell yourself that you can stop after three minutes. (You’ll probably carry on with the task once you get started, though.)
• Work in short blocks of 25 to 35 minutes.
• Put up motivational quotes. My favourite is by Jim Rohn: “ Don’t wish it were easier. Wish you were better. ”
• Break tasks into smaller steps, so they’re not overwhelming.
• Visualise how you’ll feel when you finish your task.
• Keep a list of the tasks you’ve completed to remind yourself that you’re making progress.
• Turn your schoolwork into a game. Give yourself five points for each task you complete, then reward yourself when you accumulate 20 points.
• Join a study group of motivated students. Their ambition will rub off on you.
• Get enough sleep. Tiredness and lack of motivation are linked. (Refer to Principle #3.)

Need some more tips? Here are 23 ideas for how to get motivated to study .

Principle #7: Learn to say “no”

Are you too busy?

I’ve worked with students who just have too much on their plate. They’re involved in countless extracurricular activities, from music to art to sports.

I don’t care how efficient you are. You’re not a robot — and you won’t be a well-rested top student if you’re juggling too many activities at once. Worse, you risk burn-out.

What’s the simple solution?

Learn to say “no”.

Here are some tips to help:

1. Develop various ways of saying “no” politely, so you’re equipped for every situation.

Here are some examples:

• “Thank you for thinking of me, but I’m sorry I can’t make it.”
• “I’m sorry, but I can’t do that. Here’s what I can do instead.”
• “Thanks for the invitation, but I’ll have to pass.”
• “I appreciate you asking, but I apologise. I can’t help this time.”
• “I’m sorry, those dates don’t work for me.”
• “I’m sorry, my schedule is really packed for the next month.”
• “That sounds like a great opportunity, but I’m sorry it’s not suitable for me.”
• “I’m sorry, I’ve already made other plans.”
• “I’d love to, but I’ve already committed to help __________ (friend, family member, etc.) out.”

2. Don’t participate in more than two to three extracurricular activities.

Whether it’s volunteering, learning a sport or musical instrument, or developing a new skill, only choose a couple at a time.

3. Categorise your friends and decide how much time to spend with each group.

Categorise your friends?

It might sound like a strange suggestion, but it’s an easier way to say no to social engagements that would otherwise overload your schedule.

Time is a finite resource. Top students know it’s impossible to spend frequent time with everyone you consider a friend.

Categorise your friends into the following four groups:

• Acquaintances
• Casual friends
• Close friends
• Best friends

Next, decide how often you’ll hang out with each group. For me, it looked like this:

• Acquaintances – once every few months
• Casual friends – once a month
• Close friends – once every one to two weeks
• Best friends – once every few days

By clarifying how much time you’ll spend with each friend group, you’ll invest in the friendships that mean the most.

Principle #8: Create systems for staying organised

Have you ever started studying for a test only to realise you can’t find the relevant notes or assignments?

Do you keep papers in a pile, then spend too much time rummaging through them when you need to find an assignment?

Being disorganised is a time-waster. Here are some proven tips to help you stay organised when it comes to (a) notes and assignments and (b) email:

Notes and assignments

1. Bring an accordion folder to school every day.

The accordion folder should look something like this .

2. Assign each of your subjects or courses to a section of the accordion folder. Assign one additional section for incomplete homework.

As the day goes on, place the notes and graded assignments you receive in their respective sections. Put your incomplete homework across all subjects in the “incomplete homework” section.

3. Get binders to keep at home. I suggest one binder for every category of work (for each subject).

For example, use one binder for your history notes, one for your history assignments, and one for your history tests.

4. Once a day, look through the “incomplete homework” section of your accordion folder.

Ensure you haven’t overlooked any homework assignments.

5. Once a week, transfer all your notes and graded assignments from your accordion folder to the respective binder.

Do this consistently, and you’ll realise if you’ve misplaced any notes or assignments. This way, you can replace them long before you need to prepare for your next exam.

1. Forward all your school emails to a Gmail account.

I’ve used almost every popular email service out there. Gmail is the best one. So, if you don’t already have a Gmail account, set one up.

2. Create as few email folders as possible.

Most top students don’t need too many additional email folders.

Folders complicate the way you process email. Plus, the Gmail search function is excellent. Use it to quickly find any old emails you need.

3. Process your email once a day.

It’s not always easy to reply to emails on your phone. But the messages will still appear as read — even if you haven’t processed them.

You’re more likely to have all the information you need on your computer so you can quickly and efficiently get through your inbox.

4. Follow these rules when processing your email:

• If an email doesn’t require a reply, archive it.
• If an email requires a reply, do so immediately. Then, archive the original email.
• If an email requires a reply but will take significant time to write one, create a task (refer to Principle #2). Archive the original email after you’ve replied to it.

By following these rules, you’ll get to “inbox zero” (no emails in your inbox) almost every day. You’ll eliminate email stress, and you’ll rest assured that all relevant tasks have been completed or scheduled.

5. Use the Boomerang for Gmail app.

The Boomerang for Gmail app has already saved me dozens – or even hundreds – of hours.

This app lets you schedule a reminder to follow up with someone if they haven’t replied to your email by a specific date. It’s a handy app for group projects and more.

Principle #9: Work on one task at a time

It takes time to get into the flow of an assignment, so finish one task before moving on to the next.

Don’t multitask, either.

That means no texting, watching TV, or checking your social media feed while doing your schoolwork.

Research shows that  multitasking isn’t possible . When you think you’re multitasking, you’re actually switching between tasks and reducing your overall efficiency.

Here are some tips that top students use to help you focus on one task at a time:

1. At the start of each homework/study session, write down what you’re going to work on.

Write this on a scrap piece of paper or a Post-it Note, and put it on your desk. This is to remind you of the task you’re supposed to work on.

2. Allocate a specific amount of time to the task.

Give yourself a realistic deadline, so you’re more likely to concentrate fully on the task at hand.

3. Whenever you feel like switching tasks, close your eyes and take a few deep breaths.

The urge to multitask or do something more “fun” comes in waves.

Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths, and these waves will pass by. Then, get back to work.

4. Improve your focus gradually.

If you have trouble focusing, take small steps to improve your concentration.

Start with 10 minutes of complete focus. Over the next week, increase it to 12 minutes. Then 14 minutes and so on. Eventually, you’ll be able to focus for 30 to 40 minutes!

Principle #10: Eliminate distractions

Distractions are a common problem for many students, and it doesn’t necessarily indicate that you dislike studying .

Here are a few ways to eliminate or reduce interruptions:

• Turn off notifications on your phone.
• Only reply to text messages three times a day. Put it in your calendar as a series of mini-appointments.
• Archive all the inactive chats on your phone, so they don’t clutter your app’s home screen.
• Mute all group chats.
• Delete all social media apps from your phone.
• Wear a watch, so you don’t have to check your phone for the time.
• Use an extremely long password for your phone, so you won’t be tempted to use it mindlessly.
• Use headphones while you’re studying (even if there’s no music playing) so that others will be less likely to interrupt you.
• Do all of your schoolwork at your desk, not on your bed, so you won’t laze around.
• Put your phone in another room when it’s time to work.
• Use an app like Freedom to restrict online distractions.
• Turn off your Internet access when you’re doing schoolwork.
• Close all unnecessary programs or tabs on your computer.
• Tell the people around you when you’ll be doing your work. This way, they won’t interrupt you in the middle of your study session.

Implement these essential study tips, and you’ll set yourself up to become a top student.

Start with two or three tips. When they become habits, tackle a few more. Even one small change can create a big difference in the long run.

I know it’s easier said than done. It took me 16 years of continual research and experimentation to develop these systems and become a well-rested top student.

Remember, the reward isn’t the straight A’s or the accolades.

What matters is the process of challenging yourself — of developing greater focus, self-discipline, commitment, and resilience.

As you implement the tips outlined in this article, I’m confident that you’ll become a top student. More importantly, you’ll become a student with advanced self-management skills.

Equipped with these skills, you’ll contribute more effectively and serve more meaningfully. This means that you’ll make a difference in your community and in the world.

Now that’s an end goal worth working towards!

Want even more tips to become more organised, focused, and disciplined? Check out my step-by-step system to become a straight-A student in just 40 minutes a week.

It’s everything you need to join other top students and have a healthy school-life balance. Say hello to eight hours of sleep a night — and straight A’s, too.

Wishing you all the best on this challenging and exciting journey!

April 18, 2016 at 12:41 pm

Well thank you for this informative article. We are at the close of my son’s junior year in high school. The first half of the year grade-wise was ok. It has steadily gotten worse. He has carried a 3.5 throughout high school. It has dropped since the end of last year and has dropped even more to a 3.0 last grading period. I realize grades aren’t everything, but it is how colleges rate a person and it eventually has a lot to do with where a person is accepted. I can not talk to my son anymore. I am just an annoyance to him. I am very worried as to whether he will pass this last quarter of high school. He gets on average around 5 hours of sleep a night. He is very disorganized and has no time management skills. I am very worried about him. He is extremely rude to me and has been for a year and a half now. The counselor at his school just acts like I need to back off. I have tried this a little, but it doesn’t seem to do much good. I feel like others seem to think I should butt out and just let him fail. I am very concerned. What should I do. I don’t feel like his school is really any help. I have talked to the counselor before and she doesn’t seem to understand my concern.

April 18, 2016 at 12:47 pm

Hi Pat, thank you for sharing. It sounds like a challenging situation. It’s hard for me to provide advice without understanding the situation fully, but if your son is willing to work with me, I do offer this 1-to-1 program: https://www.daniel-wong.com/coaching/

April 19, 2016 at 10:24 pm

Dear Daniel. My son is a bright student but he has been failing in college due to many reasons like lack of sleep, lack of motivation, no interest etc

We are desperate. Any advice please?

April 20, 2016 at 7:32 am

Hi Pink, thank you for sharing. I’ve sent you an email directly.

August 18, 2021 at 10:49 pm

Thank you Sir. I’m struggling for quite a lot of my student life, but since I have found your chanel.. it is practically a life changer.

Kind regards, John from Slovenia.

April 19, 2016 at 10:35 pm

Thank you! Helped a lot 🙂

April 19, 2016 at 11:31 pm

You’re welcome 🙂

April 20, 2016 at 11:11 am

Dear Daniel,

I am doing part time school in uni and holding a full time day job, with church commitments too. Any advice on how can I balance my load and fork out time for study… I always feel unmotivated and tired after work.. The course that i am involves a lot of reading and writing. I am basically ok with the idea, but I feel unmotivated to handle so much of it..

April 20, 2016 at 11:24 am

Dear Sabrina,

Thank you for sharing. It sounds like you have a lot of things going on. It sounds like Principle #7 (in this article) would be the most relevant one to you. But there may be many different factors at play too, so it’s hard for me to provide advice in a comment.

I work with students 1-to-1 to help them become more motivated, focused and disciplined, so if you might be interested in this, please let me know?

July 19, 2020 at 8:12 am

Am interested sir Daniel

April 20, 2016 at 12:26 pm

Thanks Daniel for sharing these very useful and practical tips! At least we have an idea of what we have been doing right and where we can do better.

April 20, 2016 at 2:20 pm

You’re most welcome, Lois!

April 20, 2016 at 3:29 pm

Thank you for sharing your learning experience and habits. It’s really provide me a guide to manage my study time effectively. Hope to see more wonderful posts for you. Cheers

April 20, 2016 at 7:41 pm

You’re most welcome, Stephen. I’m glad that I could be of assistance!

April 20, 2016 at 4:30 pm

Thank you so much Daniel for sharing your wonderful learning skills. Through this articles, I know what to do to manage my time effectively. Looking forward with your new posts !

April 20, 2016 at 6:45 pm

Thank you very much!

April 20, 2016 at 7:42 pm

You are very welcome 🙂

April 21, 2016 at 12:42 am

I have read a lot of self help book i went through time magazine and business insider tips for time management almost on a daily basis

I got the idea, but never really manage to put it working really well

you brother really nail this one, really well put and systematic

i believe this will help a lots and lots of student worldwide good job and i wish you all the best in improving your life even more and more importantly keep inspiring others

god bless you man

April 21, 2016 at 9:08 am

Wow, you’re too kind. I’m glad to hear that you think the article is useful!

April 21, 2016 at 10:41 am

just speaking my mind man

the truth is i have been looking for an article for student time management, there is some but not really what i have been looking for

From the way you write i know you have read lots of book and other reading material to come out with this

Anyway, you might not realise this but your writing is really good very well structured

you should write some of your daily challenges and routine should be a good reading for some people out there

April 21, 2016 at 2:40 am

Thank you so much for this wonderful article. It’s really a big help for me and for the other readers who are currently attending universities. Continue being an inspiration, Sir! 😀

It’s my pleasure. All the best to you! 🙂

April 21, 2016 at 12:37 pm

Thank you so much for the tips! Agreed on what you said about “this is easier said than done”, I got a good result by not sleeping, no eating and no exercise. It works great at first, but 2 years later my performance decreased a lot, I tend to fall asleep no matter what situation I’m in, and I think I don’t have to mention about my weight. Health is just my biggest problem 😀 Thank you for giving me inspiration to be better!

April 21, 2016 at 2:37 pm

Thanks for sharing, Michael. Glad I could help!

April 21, 2016 at 1:37 pm

Hi. My goal is to become a CPA but I am having a hard time to study especially now that I am working. Every time I went home, I feel so tired then easily fall asleep. I hope you could send me tips thru email. It will be appreciated! Thanks in advance!

April 21, 2016 at 2:38 pm

Sure, if you enter your email address to get the summary and bonus tips, I’ll be happy to send you email updates.

April 30, 2016 at 11:53 pm

Hi Daniel, thanks for sharing the article, I’d surely appreciate the same article because I also fall asleep easily and when I get home, I am always tired.

May 1, 2016 at 8:46 am

You’re most welcome, Khanyi!

April 21, 2016 at 6:36 pm

Thanks for sharing! This really motivates me to strive even further. I’ll be sitting for SPM this year but there’s just so many things on my plate! I’m the president for 4 different co-curricular activities in my school and sometimes it definitely gets tough to juggle everything especially if it involves missing classes. But then again, I do attend tuitions after school due to that. The student life definitely isn’t easy!

How are you so highly motivated? ?

Cheers, Janice

April 21, 2016 at 7:48 pm

Wow, it sounds like you are busy with many things! I hope you’re coping with everything well 🙂

I think I became a lot more motivated when I realized that education is less about achievement, and more about preparing yourself to contribute more in the future. Serving and helping others is a meaningful motivating factor! Although of course there are still days when I don’t feel like working so hard.

April 22, 2016 at 12:48 am

Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful tips!

April 22, 2016 at 9:12 am

It’s my joy to share!

April 22, 2016 at 1:18 am

Thanks for sharing Sir!

You’re very welcome!

April 22, 2016 at 1:36 am

Hi Sir! I’m Nurain, studying in a law school. Thanks for your sharing but I can’t follow your third principle #Make sleep and exercise a priority. I really can’t make it. I have a lot of things to be done just in a few days. It is not because i’m the one who used to make it in a last minute. For example, I got new assignment on Monday and I have to submit it on Wednesday. Plus, everyday there are 2-3 cases that i must read. Each case has at least 4 pages. Sometimes, i spend my time to exercise for at least 30 minutes. But, still my sleep schedule is bad. Everyday, I just sleep around 4 hours only. Most of my classes will end on 4pm. I can’t focus during lectures. Really tired. To be honest, my grades are very weak. My current CGPA is below 2.5 and the final exam will be started on 19th June. Please help! 🙂

April 22, 2016 at 9:15 am

Hi Nurain, thank you for sharing. It sounds like there are many possible ways to improve the situation, but I apologize that it’s hard to provide advice in a comment. I offer this 1-to-1 coaching program, just in case you’re interested: https://www.daniel-wong.com/coaching/

April 22, 2016 at 12:52 pm

Sir seems like you are such an organised people..most of the tips i already implement in my daily routine..except the part eight hours sleep,multi-tasking and have all sort of file..because i must sleep less hour..the longer i sleep the lazzier i become..this might sound weird but its my biological clock..for me as university student, commitment are more important rather than best result because more soft skill would be demand later when working with company..university life is like a port to enlarge your networking..i am working part time, student representative in 2 position at my university and quite active with volunteering programmes because i belive that what mind think body can achieve..do you have your own firm in coaching? if yes, can i know where it located? Thank you Sir..

April 22, 2016 at 4:00 pm

Hi Hambarabbi, thank you for sharing. It sounds like you have a lot of things going on. Yes, I do offer this 1-to-1 coaching program: https://www.daniel-wong.com/coaching/

I’m based in Singapore, so for my international clients I do the sessions over Skype.

Hope this helps!

April 25, 2016 at 8:58 pm

hey , its great … but you know as said is easier than done …. laziness virus spreading … but i really hope i can motivate up myself soon , exam is just around the corner .

April 25, 2016 at 9:31 pm

You’re right, Huiyin. Easier said than done, but I’m confident that you’ll be able to make gradual progress! Wishing you all the best for your exams 🙂

April 27, 2016 at 11:06 am

1. Hi Mr Daniel Wong, if my school email is already a Gmail account, do I still need to set up a personal Gmail account if I don’t have one? 2. What is the purpose of sending school emails to personal email? Is it as a backup? 3. What does archiving an email or chat?

April 27, 2016 at 1:49 pm

Hi Whvan Hsin,

To answer your questions:

1. If your school email is already a Gmail account, I would still recommend that you set up a personal Gmail account. 2. The purpose of forwarding your school emails to your personal email account is so that you don’t have to manage more than one email account. 3. Archiving an email or chat removes it from the inbox, but doesn’t delete it. It “files” it away, just in case you need to find it in the future.

May 10, 2016 at 8:13 pm

Thank you very much for answering my questions!

April 30, 2016 at 3:40 pm

Thank you for your very well-written article. I am currently an A Level student in one of the local JCs here. Just out of curiosity, did you manage to get sufficinet sleep back in your JC days?

April 30, 2016 at 3:41 pm

*sufficient

April 30, 2016 at 8:52 pm

Hi Shannon,

You’re most welcome. I actually didn’t get enough sleep during my JC days, but if I had known all of these techniques, I would have been able to!

I didn’t realize how counter-productive it is to sleep less and get more work done, because your memory and focus is so much worse when you’re sleep-deprived.

May 3, 2016 at 2:04 am

Thanks so much for this brilliant tips eventhough I just found this website in my sem break but it’s okay. I hope I can slowly practise the tips for my upcoming semester since I think my prev sem , I am doing so bad in my studies and time mgt . I am so nervous to know what’s the result I will get soon . Hope I can do much better for my these two semesters left.

May 3, 2016 at 10:46 am

You’re welcome, Tasya. Yes, definitely wishing you my very best!

May 13, 2016 at 4:05 am

This is an awesome list of strategies.

I’ve always heard about apps and stuff to help focus or eliminate distractions. I’ve always assumed they’re kind of pointless because I always imagine a student that isn’t able to get themselves to eliminate distractions probably wouldn’t have the discipline to not cheat with whatever system the app is using. If the student is capable of focusing long enough not to cheat the apps system then they probably don’t need the app anyway. I guess it must be a little different than I imagine.

May 13, 2016 at 7:42 am

Glad that I could change your mind a little, Kay!

August 29, 2018 at 8:10 pm

Thanks for sharing How you Became a Top Student While Sleeping 8 Hours a Night…its very informative article.

October 23, 2018 at 1:15 pm

I must confess that I really enjoyed this article and gained a lot of new things.

I just saw this blog recently online and I can’t stop reading your articles. You are really doing a good job here.

January 12, 2019 at 7:51 pm

I’m grateful My dear Daniel, The tips were all what interesting,respect u!!

January 12, 2019 at 8:31 pm

I’m grateful about your tips,My dear Daniel.it’s what interesting tip… I’m waiting for the up coming one. Respect U!!

March 19, 2019 at 3:32 am

Hi Daniel i used to be a top student and organised perfect one 🙂 .Suddenly at the end of high school i lost my track and my notes and motivation gradually increased.I felt like dying inside because all my hard work went really for nothing.And i failed to my university entrance exam i couldn’t get accepted to my dream university..As a retaker this is my second preparation year.As you wrote down too being well organised and writing down every little thing was everything.And most importantly always being motivated.You are a perfect example of my life turning points.I feel really dismotivated nowadays and started searching again for tips and found you.Thanks for reminding myself again.

April 8, 2019 at 2:16 pm

Thank you sir. It is really very helpful for me

May 7, 2019 at 5:08 pm

I just saw this blog recently online and I can’t stop reading your articles. You are really doing a good job here. Keep the waves going.

November 19, 2019 at 4:55 pm

“Every student wants to do well academically while also leading a balanced life.” That’s right. Being a student, we should not only think about our physical health but also the mentality that we need to answer questions. We all indeed want a balanced life but in today’s curriculum where there are so many school works given, I personally is not sleeping 8 hours. Hope you will post about dealing with so much school works soon!

Thank you so much for this! For making us realize all essential things for students. As a student blogger, I should balance myself to two different world but in a balanced way.

November 30, 2019 at 4:11 pm

Hi! My name Is Yihun. I was Clever student I was scored 9A at highschool and I am now 1st year university student. how can I get a confidence? I am forgetting after reading ! I think about competition with other students we have 6 courses the two courses are New. such as Critical Thinking and General Psychology . after I was read them instantly i forgot. What Can I do? please tell me something. I should score 3.8-4 for Joining Medicine

January 29, 2020 at 7:48 pm

Thanks for sharing

February 22, 2020 at 10:03 pm

This is informative, very brilliant…

March 5, 2020 at 9:46 am

Thanks for the amazing tips !!This year I want a better ,less stressful academic year , with the engineering test week being close by and feeling overwhelmed,This article just made me positive and i drew up a great schedule for myself immediately . Academics are like a financial budget , they need firm planning and commitment

March 15, 2020 at 2:05 am

Thank you sir. My CGPA is 4.35 and I want to graduate with CGPA 4.47 This year. Am losing hope already but now I believe that with your guidance, it may be possible. Please help me

August 13, 2020 at 8:52 pm

Hi I’m by name wonder ure so talented am in the secondary school and I’ll try all my possible best to follow this article thanks for sharing😁😊☺

March 8, 2021 at 7:37 am

this was most helpful Daniel, keep up the good work

April 22, 2021 at 5:36 pm

Hi Daniel, i hope this work for me if it does it will go a very long way in my academic pursuits. Thanks

June 29, 2022 at 2:25 pm

Thank you very much, i’ve always wondering how my friends can get a good grades at test and still can finish their task earlier. I’ve tried to be like them too, but it was so hard for me to remember the school material. And now, i know the answer. It’s because i tried too hard and don’t get enough sleep. I was also not organizing my schedule, and it looks like a mees. Anw, i read your article like 30 minutes and trying to improve my speaking and pronunciation. Fyi, i’m 17 years old now, and still learning english. So maybe you’re gonna see that i’ve done some grammar mistake, lol.

January 11, 2023 at 12:53 am

Thanks a lot this article has been very useful and it helps in time management and organization which are very important and I’ve learnt to understand the material and not cram😌😁

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Associations of time spent on homework or studying with nocturnal sleep behavior and depression symptoms in adolescents from Singapore

• Sing Chen Yeo, MSc Sing Chen Yeo Affiliations Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Program in Neuroscience and Behavioral Disorders, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore Search for articles by this author
• Jacinda Tan, BSc Jacinda Tan Affiliations Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Program in Neuroscience and Behavioral Disorders, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore Search for articles by this author
• Joshua J. Gooley, PhD Joshua J. Gooley Correspondence Corresponding author: Joshua J. Gooley, Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Neuroscience and Behavioral Disorders Program, Duke-NUS Medical School Singapore, 8 College Road, Singapore 117549, Singapore Contact Affiliations Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Program in Neuroscience and Behavioral Disorders, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore Search for articles by this author

Participants

Measurements, conclusions.

• Sleep deprivation

Introduction

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The 6 Stages of Sleep Deprivation and How to Spot Them

If you've been struggling to sleep well, it might be because you're in one of the six stages of sleep deprivation. What to know.

If you struggle with sleep, these are the red flags to look out for.

Your  quality sleep is important to keep you healthy. Life changes, stress or other factors can interfere with a good night's rest. You can be considered sleep deprived with just 24 hours of missed sleep, as this can impact your motor skills and judgment, but the problem can also go on for days at a time, with more serious scenarios lasting longer. A healthy sleep schedule for adults should be around seven hours or more a night.

"This sleep should also be undisturbed and comfortable, allowing your body to fully rest and recover during rapid eye movement sleep," said Happy Beds sleep expert Katherine Hall. "This is when the brain becomes more active and the body is at its most relaxed, helping that rest and recovery occur."

Research has shown that your cardiovascular health , blood pressure and even your immune system can be affected by lack of sleep. Not to mention, lack of sleep also ages you and can affect your weight and mood. If you're dealing with sleep deprivation or are already feeling the side effects, it's helpful to know the stages first. Below are the warning signs of sleep deprivation and what to do about it. 

Read more : Sleep Deprivation Is Slowing Your Metabolism. Here's What to Do About It

The first stage may not seem detrimental since one night of little or no sleep isn't going to put your health at risk. Symptoms that are part of the first stage of sleep deprivation or the first 24 hours of sleep deprivation can include:

• Irritability 
• Decreased alertness 
• Puffy eyes or dark under-eye circles

If you're going on over 24 hours of little to no sleep, you're most likely going to feel the initial symptoms of sleep deprivation more amplified. This time your cognitive performance is going to be more impaired and your body will experience a weakened immune system and inflammation. "Some people experience brief periods of sleep known as microsleeps which only last 30 seconds and occur without you realizing it," Hall said. 

Sleep deprivation after 36 hours of no sleep may have you starting to experience hallucinations and the urge to microsleep more frequently. Your immune system has weakened, memory may start to falter at this stage, your reaction time will be worse and you'll be extremely fatigued.   

At this point, you've been going four days without proper sleep and are at peak sleep deprivation. You may continue to have hallucinations, imagine hearing or seeing things, not to mention you'll be extremely tired and increasingly irritable and anxious.

Stages 5 and 6

These stages are the most dangerous because after five days of sleep deprivation, and if you've been hallucinating, you may also experience delusions and disordered thinking. In addition, all of the physical symptoms you've been experiencing may be worse. At this stage, the urge to sleep will feel unbearable and your perception of reality will be severely impaired and distorted. You'll also be unable to think properly or understand things clearly and you can end up in a state of psychosis.

Solutions for sleep deprivation

The good news is there are ways to combat sleep deprivation and prevent it before it gets worse. Hall recommends focusing on these key things: 

• Setting a routine
• Creating a relaxing environment
• Avoiding technology before bed
• Trying relaxation techniques
• Exercising more regularly
• Avoiding food and drink triggers

By creating a routine, you set yourself up for success. "Try to make sure you're going to bed and getting up at the same time each morning and night," Hall said. This includes weekends, which can often negatively impact your routine because oftentimes you're going to bed later than normal. Therefore, it's important to have a consistent bedtime throughout the week.

Your pre-bedtime routine can also help signal to your brain that you're winding down for the day. You can do this by taking a bath, focusing on your skincare regimen and even meditating. Creating a relaxing bedtime ritual makes it easier for your brain to switch off and fall asleep when the time comes.

Creating the right environment in your bedroom can also impact your sleeping experience. "Your room should be dark, quiet and free from distractions because light and noise can cause you to wake up throughout the night," Hall said. She advises investing in curtains, black-out blinds and earplugs if you're a light sleeper. You should also nix electronic devices like TVs, computers and cell phones before bed as they can affect sleep quality. "Blue lights from electronics can cause your brain to become more alert, meaning you struggle to fall asleep," Hall said. Instead, try reading a book since it signals to your brain to switch off and your body to unwind, meaning you'll fall naturally asleep.

Other ways you can improve your sleeping habits include being active throughout the day. This also helps make sure that you're tired at the right time of night, so you'll fall asleep easier and have higher quality sleep. You should also avoid caffeine late in the day and avoid big meals and alcohol close to your bedtime. These can disrupt your ability to fall asleep and the quality.  

When it's time to see a doctor

If none of these solutions have helped with sleep deprivation, then it's important to address it with your doctor, who can offer better guidance. "You should see a doctor if it gets to the point where you are having significantly less than the recommended seven to nine hours that an adult should sleep at night and for a prolonged period of time," Hall said. 

Sleep issues this severe can even indicate signs of insomnia. Hall said there are two different types of insomnia : short-term and long-term. "Short-term insomnia is when you have been suffering for three months or less, and long-term is anything longer than this," she said. "Both types and any sleep issues should be taken very seriously as the symptoms mentioned previously are not to be ignored." If sleep deprivation symptoms have affected your quality of life then you should seek professional help since you should receive a diagnosis and treatment as soon as possible.

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Should I Sleep or Do my Homework?

Have you ever experienced pushing through exhaustion just to finish your homework? Were you satisfied with the grades you received?

If you’re like the average student, then there’s a good chance that you answered no to this question. And even if you did well and got high marks on the assignment, you probably had very little energy to stay attentive in class the next morning.

Such is the life of students, especially those who are studying in a college or university. Unlike in the earlier years of education, your professors won’t bother hearing your excuses. They will simply give you a big, fat zero for a grade, and there’s nothing you can do to turn back time and correct the situation.

Surely, you don’t want this to ever happen again. But as the adage goes, life happens. You may be juggling your studies with a part-time job, forcing you to expend your time and energy at work even after you already feel tired after college.

This doesn’t give you license to skimp out and neglect your homework. Instead, this experience teaches you how to face the challenge head-on, prompting you to find ways on how to do well in your studies and at work while giving your body ample amounts of rest.

The Importance of Homework

You have probably thought at least once that homework doesn’t help with your learning. This applies in particular to assignments that take an unrealistic amount of time to complete. Not to mention, some professors seem to give out homework just for the sake of it. You couldn’t help but wonder what the connection is between your homework and the course you’re studying.

Still, the importance of homework cannot be understated. It reinforces the skills and lessons learned inside the classroom. It also allows you to prepare for upcoming topics in class, ensuring that the transition goes smoothly. You probably know how difficult it is to miss class and then come back with a totally different subject.

It’s also essential to understand the benefits of homework in terms of enhancing different life skills. For one, it encourages you to muster up self-discipline. It’s always tempting to do the things you love most once classes are over, but having a responsibility to finish compels you to form an alternate perspective of what matters most.

By working independently, you can also allow your own thoughts and creativity does the work instead of thinking too much about what the teacher thinks or wants. Homework also hones your research skills, as you will have to tap on a variety of resources including dictionaries, encyclopedias, and online learning platforms to deliver the best work.

There are also cases in which homework connects college learning to the outside world. Many teachers see to it that the homework they assign is more involved, requiring you to work in a group, interview community members, or talk with your family about topics you haven’t discussed before.

Sleep Matters, Too

Have you ever wondered how the topnotchers in your class seem to be full of energy throughout the day? You might argue that they simply have more discipline than you. There are also students who genuinely find joy in learning and getting high grades. But there’s a missing piece to the puzzle you should factor in as well.

The answer to the question above is simpler than you think: You can bet that the students who exhibit the highest level of energy and attention in class get a sufficient amount of rest. This holds true for CEOs of some of the most successful companies in the world. They know that getting enough shuteye every night enables them to tackle the challenges of tomorrow with full strength and vigor.

Of course, this doesn’t mean sleeping when and where you want to. After all, you don’t want to be the student who gets caught by the teacher sleeping in class. Once again, the key is finding the right balance. It proves unwise (and unhealthy) to push through sleepiness just to complete your homework. Getting enough sleep each day gives your mind and body sufficient time to rest. It also has a major impact on increasing your attention span.

You’ve probably heard that time is your most precious resource. But you should understand that attention plays an equally important role. In fact, the reason why many students lack sleep isn’t that of the barrage of assignments they need to work on. It’s because of procrastination. You may have a lot of free time in your hands, but you choose to spend it on things that give you pleasure.

Aside from managing your schedule, it’s also vital that you stay attentive to the task at hand. Making sure that you get several hours of sleep each night helps you stay alert and enhances focus. You might surprise yourself at how fast and easy you can complete your homework the next morning compared to wasting hours upon hours trying to get it done the night before.

Do You Need Professional Assistance?

Balancing your studies with all the other things you do is always a challenge. There are cases in which your body longs for your bed to get some rest, but you still have an essay to submit the following day. This is where Assignment Expert homework help service comes in handy.

By letting professionals lend you a helping hand, you can finish your homework in no time. This offers the benefit of learning straight from the experts. You can get new ideas on how to craft your essays and research about complex topics. Online homework help can aid in your college learning while allowing you to go to sleep without worrying about meeting deadlines.

If you need help with your homework, do not hesitate to write us or submit the task on our website . We have experts in different subjects, so you will be matched to the right person for the job. Allow us to step in while you take care of other urgent matters in your life.

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