Sleep It Off: Naps for High School Students

Usually, napping in a school setting ends by the time a student reaches kindergarten. Before that grade level, naps play an important role in a child’s development and how focused they can be in a school environment. The main reason younger children are usually forced to take naps while in school is that it allows them to refresh their minds and get through the rest of their day.

As a child, I remember kicking and screaming every time I had to enter that classroom dedicated to nap time. The dark, cold room with mats and fluffy blankets littering the floor was the last place I wanted to be, and I couldn’t understand why I was being forced to sleep when it wasn’t nighttime. Now, as a high school student, I can’t believe I didn’t take advantage of the days with dedicated school time where I was required to be asleep.

Since my days at school start relatively early, I find naps to be something I gravitate towards, mostly for that weightless feeling that comes with dozing for even just an hour. After spending all day learning and being engaged, having to go home and deal with extracurriculars as well as homework means that I never have a moment to just shut my brain off. While these are my personal opinions, there are countless points on both the positives and the negatives of high schoolers napping:

Why I Nap:

• Emotional exhaustion

• Not wanting to think

• Trying to waste time and get through the day faster

• Closest I can get to completely shutting down without any effort

• Use it as a reset and a fast-forward button

• Needing a break / like an intermission during my day

Pros of Napping:

• Allows you to recharge before having to work or do something strenuous

• Even just 30 minutes allows you to focus and can help students improve their grades.

• Good coping mechanism to reframe your thinking and figuratively “wipe the slate clean”

• Teenagers need more sleep as a whole, and this contributes to brain development and growth.

• It’s better to take a nap and be able to then complete your assignments, then try to complete them when you’re exhausted and drained.

Cons of Napping:

• Can make you feel overall exhausted, especially if you accidentally nap for too long.

• Disrupts the learning process and causes you to lose that momentum that keeps you engaged for long periods of time.

• Can mess up a student’s sleep schedule, which just continues to feed that endless cycle of needing to sleep.

• Can be used as a way to escape social interactions and avoid feelings of anxiety, which are not good coping mechanisms.

Interested? Find more by Elahe here!

ABOUT ELAHE

Elahe Zandy is 16 years old and a 10th grade student at Centner Academy. Her interest in journalism comes from an overall love for writing and expressing her thoughts on paper, as well as just a passion for learning about what is going on in the world. Last year, she had her first experience in the competitive world of writing, since she participated in the Emmerse Essay Competition, resulting in winning a scholarship for a summer program. Being a part of the Centner Academy journalism program has been a great experience to understand all the different aspects of the profession and the importance of news. In addition to enjoying writing, Elahe spends her time playing on the Centner Academy Tennis Team and co-chairing the Field Trip Fundraising Club.