For many Lincoln students, the school day starts long before they are fully awake. A recent survey by The Cardinal Times found that many students are not getting the recommended amount of sleep they need.

According to the survey, Lincoln students reported an average of only 6.7 hours of sleep a night, significantly lower than the 8 to 10 hours of sleep that is commonly recommended for high school students. In fact, 81% of students who responded said that they get less than eight hours of sleep on most school nights.

The effects of sleep deprivation among students show up during the school day as well. 91% of students said that they feel tired or sleepy during school days. Many students also reported that their lack of sleep has an effect on their performance in class. 18% said that they fall asleep in class at least once a week.

The most common reasons for lack of sleep were by far homework or studying, which was chosen by 80% of respondents. Another major contributing factor is procrastination and doomscrolling, which were both chosen by 58% of students. Stress and anxiety were also commonly chosen, with 44% of students selecting them as a reason for losing sleep.

The survey also found that on average, students get eight or more hours of sleep only three days per week. Additionally, 42% of students reported a sleep quality of only two out of five, which is alarmingly low.

The data makes it clear that many students are trying to get through school on too little sleep. According to the CDC, teengers should aim for eight to 10 hours of sleep every night. To get closer to that goal, students can try setting a consistent bedtime, getting off phones before sleeping, and doing homework as early as possible in the day.