Not getting enough sleep is one of the many inescapable stereotypes for teenagers. But despite popular belief, it isn’t because teens are up partying all night, constantly on their phones or just plain lazy. In reality, it’s science. For whatever chemical reasoning, teenagers need up to 10 hours of sleep compared to adults’ seven. Because of this, waking up at 5:30 to 6 a.m. for school after going to sleep anywhere between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. is so difficult. Students at West Essex know first hand how hard focusing during first period is because of the strength it takes to stay awake. You aren’t an insomniac and you aren’t unique—it’s a struggle for everyone.

Students at West Essex are no stranger to sleepless nights doing procrastinated
homework and projects, studying for tests or catching up on reading. The average amount of sleep a person between the ages of 14 and 18 should get a night is
between eight and nine and a half hours. However, the majority of teens
are not nearly this well-rested.