Sleep is necessary. It’s the time of day when you relax and let your systems take a break. Sleep affects your mood, work performance, school performance, and your actions. Can you imagine what your day would look like if you pulled an all-nighter? Sleepless nights are necessary in some cases, but most of the time sleep is available. 

You can’t just fall asleep for five minutes and feel recharged, however. That’s like eating a single grape and saying you’re full. Different ages need different amounts of sleep. Sleep is especially important when you’re a kid. Your body is growing and changing, and you need time to rest in the middle of your stressful days. But what if students aren’t getting enough sleep?

Many Dobbs Ferry Middle School students go to bed around 11:00 pm. 11:00 pm! That’s too late to go to bed! School begins early in the morning and students need to be prepared for the day. 

And students may not be staying up for productive reasons. Many students stay up and watch TikTok or Youtube. It’s not good to have screens in front of your eyes before you sleep. It messes up your internal clock and makes your brain too excited to rest. Students go to bed late and wake up early. “People don’t get enough sleep because of homework,” a 6th grader reported. And teachers wonder why their students never turn in their assignments. School is long and tiring. Students need a good night’s sleep, or they won’t be prepared for the day. 

Sixth grade teacher Mr. Feller thinks yes, students go to bed too late. He says, “There are a lot more distractions these days that can keep students up. Students also seem to lack the stamina to complete the school day.” So yes, Middle School students are going to bed too late. 

Or are they? 

The required amount of sleep for 11 – 14 year olds are about 8 – 10 hours, according to the CDC. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) If students go to bed at 11, but wake up at 7, they still get 8 hours of sleep. School doesn’t start until 8:12, which is later than most school districts. If you’re aiming to be at school around 8, you still have a good hour to get ready. And if you’re staying up late, you have extra time to finish assignments. When asked if students go to bed too late, 6th grader Cleo Reisinger stated, “No. Certain people need more sleep than others, and I’m fine with the amount of sleep that I have.” She also reported that she goes to bed around 10:00 and wakes up around 7:00 on average school days. 

So. . . are Middle School students going to bed too late? I guess that’s up for you to decide.