Sleep deprivation is becoming a more significant problem for students. Between trying to balance school assignments, family and extracurricular activities, students have been cutting out time for sleep.

“I only got four hours of sleep last night,” freshman Kelsie Baughman said. “As soon as I finished after school practice for Color Guard, I had to go home and start my homework. I just couldn’t go to school with it incomplete.”

According to the National Sleep Foundation, teens need a minimum of eight and a half hours of sleep each night, which only an estimated 15% of teens actually recieve.

“On a good night I might get six hours of sleep during the school week,” freshman Melissa Ball said.

Late after-school practices and staying up to complete complicated school projects are only some of the causes of losing precious sleep time. Many teens suffer from treatable sleep disorders, such as narcolepsy, insomnia, restless legs syndrome or sleep apnea.

Irregular sleep patterns across the week also affect the rate at which you fall asleep, or could leave you falling asleep during classes.

“I fall asleep in class at least four days a week,” freshman Abby Fleitman said. “It has really been affecting the grades of my core classes.”

Sleep deprivation is a major health concern. Falling asleep at the wheel of a car is responsible for more than 100,000 car accidents each year.

If you do not get enough sleep, especially if you are a more inexperienced driver, you are more likely to have an accident or injury.

Not only does a lack of sleep affect your health and reflexes, it can also interfere with your education.

Falling asleep in class can cause your grade to drop, due to missing the valuable information from teacher’s lessons.

“I have four advanced classes,” junior Chrissy Brehm said. “I usually get around five hours of sleep a night and I cannot think clearly during the school day.”

Sleep deprivation is getting worse and more frequent for high school students everywhere.

For solutions for sleep deprivation, try to keep a constant sleep schedule, or have a set time to go to bed and wake up. Your body will become accustomed to your routine, ensuring a better night’s rest.