Americans Are Starved for Sleep

https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2018-12-19/americans-especially-teenagers-are-dangerously-sleep-deprived

by paulpauper • 8 years ago

67 36 8 years ago

I heard that the high school I attended looked into trying to start later because of all the studies that show it would be beneficial, but realized that it wasn't doable because of after school sports: our school would have games against other schools in the area, so if our school started later and the others didn't then then it would make scheduling games difficult or impossible.

adamnemecek6• 8 years ago

High school sports are such a waste of everything. I legit don’t get why they are attached to high schools and not independent.

sbinthree• 8 years ago

I agree, but I'd argue they make sense at a high level just not as much on lower ones. The level they may sense on is the "design a way to keep kids busy with useful stuff while their parents work". In that sense, something that involves directly being bussed somewhere after school vs. and evening thing adds convenience.

mc322• 8 years ago

They keep kids busy and direct their energy and attention to arguably constructive things. Some kids do sport, other kids belong to chess clubs, others do theater. It all keeps them out of trouble.

tabhygfr2• 8 years ago

I'm the introverted nerdy type - my main interests are programming, playing the piano and physics. But as I was growing up my parents were trying to encourage me and my siblings to be somewhat active for the obvious health reasons. And I stayed on the swim team through freshman year of high school. And I get it. There's more to life than school and books. Being on a sports team can be fun and rewarding, it can push you out of your comfort zone, can help you meet and bond with people not quite like you. I consider it one of my top five life mistakes that I quit the team.

So I disagree that the teams are such a waste of everything. Sure, you could separate the teams from the schools, but especially in the suburbs, why? Logistics are an issue - if you're already at a school how do you get to practice? The school also already has a social structure based on which to organize teams - sure you could create a whole separate structure, and I don't think that's necessarily bad, but I don't see why it wrong to use one you already have.

Just because something can be overdone doesn't mean it's wrong to do it at all.

deadmetheny6• 8 years ago

Can nerds as a group please drop the "I don't get the sportsball so it's clearly a waste of time" bit? Athletics promote physical fitness, working together as a team, and are at their roots generally enjoyable to those who choose to play them. You can argue about how it's expensive, but in my mind the price is well worth the investment if it gives kids a sense of camaraderie, keeps them out of trouble, and helps teach the value of teamwork. There are of course people who get way too invested in sports, but that is a totally different problem to be addressed, the sports themselves are generally fine.

Retroity• 8 years ago

It promotes athleticism, teamwork, and is generally enjoyable to those around it. Sure, some schools may invest a little too much into sports, but that doesn't mean that schools should drop sports entirely.

lowestprimate• 8 years ago

One of the points missed with school and sports is that exercise interacts with learning (growth hormones from working out help strengthen memories etc) and I do agree with it being separate from schools.

sn41• 8 years ago

In adults, there's also the excessive indulgence in caffeinated drinks like coffee, and energy drinks which masks sleep deprivation.

Apocryphon3• 8 years ago

I've pointed out in the past that the Anglosphere drinks coffee and tea, while the rest of the world takes naps and siestas and so on. Protestant work ethic cultural imperialism!

danans• 8 years ago

Anglosphere only? They do consume quite a lot of espresso and cofee in the Latin-sphere, and the middle-east as well.

dragonwriter3• 8 years ago

the Anglosphere drinks coffee and tea, while the rest of the world takes naps and siestas and so on. Protestant work ethic cultural imperialism

Even if the first part was true (it's not), the second part is unlikely to be the explanation: Protestantism, even the Calvinism most associated with the “Protestant work ethic”, isn't a unique feature of the Anglosphere.

timoth3y• 8 years ago

But we love it! We have this strange idea that if you are well-rested, you are somehow lazy.

I recent;y interviewed the founder of a startup that is focused on getting companies to improve the sleep habits of their employees.

In case you are interested: https://www.disruptingjapan.com/can-capitalism-ever-allow-us...

When I pressed him about how much sleep he got each night, be went into the same "I'm so busy, I don't have enough time" routine that everyone else does.

Our lack of sleep is a deep societal problem.

mbrownnyc• 8 years ago

Does anyone else see the irony that this is published on Bloomberg, a company who's historic record vastly shows a disregard for work/life balance?

Americans Are Starved for Sleep

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