Students Recover or Lose Sleep Over Summer Break?

Summer break is right around the corner, and many Lahainaluna students hope to catch up on sleep. Freshman Sofiya Cartagena says, “I’m excited to finally fix my sleep schedule over break.” However, some students end up doing the opposite and gain unhealthy sleeping habits.

At Lahainaluna, it’s common to see students yawn during class and fall asleep at their desks. Students involved in extracurricular activities, sports, and jobs complain about losing sleep over studying and homework. How much is sleep loss impacting their energy, mental health, and academic performance on campus?

Freshman Lucia Granillo believes that having a good sleep schedule is important because sleep gives students “better focus, less stress, and more energy.” She shared her exhausting weekday routine, which often involves going to sleep at 1 a.m. only to wake up five hours later. “I am tired at school and that makes me feel less motivated to do my homework,” she said.

“I go to sleep around 12 a.m. and wake up around 6 a.m.,” said junior Faith Andres. Despite getting little sleep, she believes that she performs well academically. But, she admits, “I could perform so much better if I got more rest. I feel more clear-minded whenever I have enough sleep.”

While some students use weekends, holidays, and breaks to catch up on sleep, others continue to stay up, falling more deeply into bad patterns that become difficult to adjust to once school starts.

Seilala Samisoni, a freshman, states that she was inspired by getting better grades to fix her sleep schedule. “School has helped me get a healthier sleep schedule after summer break… School set up a regular wake-up schedule for me. Over the summer, I woke up at random times, but now I consistently wake up at 6:30.”

According to Jessica Solodar, a health writer for Harvard Medical School, it is important for students to get enough rest. “One-third of young adults in the U.S. don’t get enough sleep,” Solodar writes. “Common struggles like digital distractions, inconsistent schedules, and what and when you eat can significantly disrupt sleep.” Freshman student Khloe Delacruz notes, “Ever since I started using my phone more and began procrastinating on my assignments, I’ve noticed a drastic negative impact on my sleep schedule.”

To prevent sleep loss, Solodar writes that the best thing is to have a consistent wake-up and sleep schedule, or practicing good “sleep hygiene.”

Student Maya Weeks says, “I noticed that it’s harder for me to sleep these days. Recently, I’ve started drinking energy drinks more often and I’ve eaten my dinner later than usual.” Experts recommend lowering caffeine intake and eating two to three hours before you sleep.

Math teacher Michelle Brummel sees the value in recharging over break. “Students often seem more rested after summer vacation,” she said, though many of them seem to “struggle to transition back into healthy sleep schedules once school begins.”

Junior Leilani Sa-Weeks says that her sleep schedule has stayed healthy and consistent. “Throughout the entire year, I’ve slept for around nine hours every day,” she states, adding that she performs her best inside and outside of school. “You can prevent yourself from being exhausted at school and when summer break starts if you just have a consistent sleep schedule.”

Adjusting sleep schedules after summer can be difficult, says junior Jannel Leah Palacio, who thinks that it depends on what you do during break. “Going on vacation in a different time zone can make it hard for students to return to early school mornings,” said Palacio, whose family often uses breaks to travel internationally.

While summer break may help some students recover from months of exhaustion, others return to school with even worse sleeping habits. “Students can always catch up on assignments, but it’s harder to catch up on months of lost sleep,” said transitions teacher Marc Watasaki. As Leilani Sa-Weeks puts it: “Whether students recover or lose sleep over summer break depends on the habits they create when school is out.”