High-achieving teens prioritize schoolwork and extracurricular activities. Who has time to sleep? But by flipping that scenario, could they achieve more?
A student asleep in a class. (Photo by Monkey Business Images)
This article was produced out of News Decoder’s school partnership program and won Third Prize in our 19th Storytelling Contest. Emma Shay is a student at the Tatnall School in the United States, a News Decoder partner institution. Learn more about how News Decoder can work with your school.
For many high school students, late nights filled with homework, studying and extracurricular commitments have become routine.
At The Tatnall School in the U.S. state of Delaware, students say increasing academic pressure is cutting into their sleep and affecting how they feel and perform during the school day.
Jamie, a junior at Tatnall who averages 5-6 hours of sleep on school nights, notices a difference immediately. “On nights when I get more sleep, I feel alert and engaged with school,” Jamie said. “When I don’t, I feel unmotivated and drained.”
I know exactly what this feels like. This fall, after a long day of school, I had field hockey practice until 5:15 p.m., followed by musical rehearsal until 8 p.m. Since I live in New Jersey, an hour away, I didn’t get home until 9 p.m., then I had to shower, finish homework and get ready for the next day.
Like most of my nights, I didn’t go to bed until after 12:30. My alarm is set for 5:15 a.m.
A common pattern
Each night, I lie in bed, extremely tired, my eyes too tired to focus, my body slouching, wishing I could just fall asleep.
But the work due the next day pulls me back: a paragraph to finish for English, notes to study for Advanced Placement Biology and an email to read about my schedule for the next day.
Every late night leaves me groggy the next morning, my mind fogged and my motivation drained. I know that no amount of coffee will replace the hours of sleep I have lost.
Jamie’s experience, as well as my own, reflects a bigger issue facing teens: whether sacrificing sleep to keep up academically actually improves performance or makes learning harder.
In a survey I did of more than 40 Tatnall students, the majority reported sleeping around six hours on school nights, well below the 8-10 hours recommended for adolescents. Students frequently mentioned homework, studying for tests and managing extracurriculars as reasons for staying up late.
“Some days I just can’t keep my eyes open during my last class,” said Xavier, a senior who sleeps 5-6 hours most nights. “Even when I try to push through, I’m just tired and less focused.”
Surveying students
Many students believe that more sleep would improve their academic performance by promoting focus and motivation in classes. Others said that as their courses became more demanding, their sleep declined rapidly.
A 2024 study published in the journal Sleep found that irregular sleep schedules and late bedtimes are linked to lower academic performance among high school students, even when total sleep times are similar. Researchers emphasized that both consistency and sufficient rest are critical for learning, attention and memory.
The problem of teen sleep deprivation isn’t limited to the United States. Around the world, students are struggling with similar challenges.
A 2018 study of high school students in Beirut, Lebanon found that 56% of teenagers reported sleeping fewer than eight hours per night and 77% said they were dissatisfied with their sleep quality, representing how common sleep deprivation is among adolescents internationally.
Researchers also found that lifestyle habits, including academic demands and late-night technology use, contributed to poor sleep patterns among students.
A global health concern
The World Health Organization and UNESCO have both identified sleep in adolescents as a global health issue, linking it not only to poorer academic performances but also to increased risk of anxiety and depression. This suggests that the tension between academic demands and healthy sleep is a widespread issue, not just a local problem.
Tijen Pyle, an AP Psychology teacher at Tatnall, says sleep plays a critical role in how teenagers process and retain information.
“Teens are chronically overtired,” Pyle said. “What people don’t always think about is that sleep is crucial for memory consolidation.”
During sleep, the brain cycles through different stages, including REM sleep, when information learned during the day is processed and stored across the cortex. Without enough sleep, that process is disrupted.
“If you don’t sleep, the consolidation doesn’t happen,” said Pyle. “You won’t remember as well.”
A body needs rest.
Sleep deprivation also affects physical health by weakening the immune system and increasing stress, making it harder for students to stay focused and engaged in school.
One major reason students stay up late and underestimate how much it can actually affect them is the media. Teens report spending hours watching shows, scrolling through social media feeds or texting friends late into the night.
The blue light from screens delays the brain’s release of melatonin, the hormone that naturally helps you fall asleep, making it even harder to go to sleep when you are tired.
Research shows that screen time is directly linked to sleep problems among adolescents. A large cohort study on adolescent screen time found that teenagers who spent six or more hours per day using screens slept significantly less than their peers, and those with nine or more hours of screen time were about 60% more likely to report poor sleep quality.
These findings suggest that heavy technology use can shorten sleep duration and make it harder for teenagers to maintain healthy sleep routines.
The lure of social media
For many students, checking social media “just one time” becomes an easy habit, but a harmful one.
Pyle echoes this concern. “Limiting screen time before bed isn’t just advice, it’s scientifically grounded,” Pyle said. “Lights from devices disrupt sleep cycles, and that affects focus, mood and learning.”
Beyond academics, students reported that lack of sleep affects their emotional well-being. Common themes included irritability, increased stress, low motivation and difficulty managing daily responsibilities.
“On days I get less sleep, I just want to go home and do nothing,” said Meghan, a freshman. “I have less patience and energy for schoolwork or even talking to friends.”
These experiences align with broader research. A 2025 Systematic Review published in Sleep Science and Practice found that sleep deprivation in adolescents is strongly associated with increased stress, anxiety, depressive symptoms and emotional instability, highlighting sleep as a key factor in teen mental health.
Cramming is counterproductive.
Students often try to compensate with caffeine, but this approach is misleading. “Caffeine blocks the feeling of tiredness,” said Pyle, “but it doesn’t replace sleep or allow the brain to reset.”
Despite the pressure to stay up late, psychology research consistently shows that cramming is ineffective for long-term learning.
“It might feel helpful in the moment,” said Pyle, “but if you want long-lasting retention, spaced practice is more effective.”
Studying in shorter sessions over time, combined with sleep between those sessions, leads to stronger memory retention. Without sleep, even hours of late-night studying may not translate into better understanding or recall.
As students balance academics, extracurriculars, jobs and social lives, prioritizing sleep can feel unrealistic.
Pyle encourages students to use time during the school day, such as study halls and free periods, more efficiently to protect sleep at night. She also recommends limiting screen time before bed.
A shortcut to failure
Many students report worsening sleep habits as school becomes more demanding. “I know I’d be more focused if I got more sleep,” said Max, a junior juggling advanced placement classes, sports and extracurriculars. “But there’s always more work to do.”
Another potential solution that goes beyond individual habits is school start times. Research from the American Psychological Association highlights policies like California’s 2022 law requiring most middle and high schools to start no earlier than 8:30 a.m.
While that may still feel early to many students, the shift reflects growing recognition that teenagers’ natural sleep cycles make early mornings especially difficult. Later start times have been linked to improved attendance, mood and academic performances.
At the same time, even with these solutions, changing habits isn’t easy. Looking back at my own late nights, finishing homework past midnight and waking up exhausted just a few hours later, I know how difficult it is to actually follow this advice.
Limiting screen time, starting assignments earlier and managing my schedule better all sound simple, but in reality, they’re much harder to maintain when every day feels packed with responsibilities.
Ultimately, if sleep supports mental health, focus and learning, then staying up later isn’t a shortcut to success; it’s a shortcut to failure. Every late night chips away at clarity, memory and emotional balance.
The truth is, real achievement isn’t built on exhaustion. It’s built on rest. The hours you sacrifice to stay awake may be the very hours that determine how clearly you think, how well you learn and how far you reach your potential.
Questions to consider:
1. What are some demands on teens that prevent them from getting enough sleep?
2. What connection is there between use of social media and lack of sleep?
3. What do you do when you find yourself feeling tired during the day?
Emma Shay is in her last year of high school at The Tatnall School in Wilmington, Delaware. She enjoys writing and exploring current events, especially through media and journalism, and likes breaking down complex topics and connecting real-world issues to how teenagers think and process them. Outside of writing, she is actively involved in her school community through leadership roles, the theater program and athletics. Emma hopes to keep growing as a writer and continue using her voice to inform others.