When you’re young, it’s so easy to take advantage of your strength and energy. It’s so easy to do whatever you want because you don’t feel anything wrong with your body that’s stopping you from eating that high-cholesterol dish or that super sweet dessert. What’s going to stop you, right?

It’s also one of the reasons why it’s so easy for students to pull up an all-nighter if they want or need to. Because they don’t feel much sign of aging yet, unlike those who are already in their 30s and older, many students often take advantage of their youth and tend to sleep less than the amount of sleep they need, not knowing its long-term effects.

But even if you’re young, you still need 8 to 10 hours of sleep. This is because aside from your mental well-being, your sleep can also impact your academic performance. Here are some ways how.

Increased Attention

As a student, your focus plays a vital role in learning as it allows you to preview, plan, regulate, and monitor your thoughts and actions. It is also the first step in the learning process.

Thus, you won’t be able to understand what’s being taught if your attention keeps on shifting from one thing to another due to lack of sleep. That’s why using a sleep calculator and other tools to help you sleep better are highly advisable by sleep experts. Because with these, you can track your sleep better.

As a result, it would be easier to develop sleep hygiene. Plus, your daytime routine and tasks are easier to accomplish.

Stronger Memory

Your memory also plays a huge part in learning. If you’re not able to remember what was taught to you, it would be harder to learn and even answer your exams.

Sleep, apparently, allows your brain to have time to encode your memory. Without it, your memories may not be able to properly form and be stored in your brain. It’s also the reason why it’s easier to memorize something before and after you sleep.

Faster Processing

Aside from answering questions during recitation, exams, etc., your brain’s processing time is also crucial in playing sports and doing other physical activities in your school. This lets you stay sharp, especially in your gym class.

But, without adequate sleep, your brain’s reaction time becomes slower. Because of this, your ability to take and analyze pieces of information is hindered. As a result, you won’t be able to act fast as you should.

Better Sequential Thinking

Some things in school should be memorized in a certain sequence. This includes working on a science experiment, putting together a puzzle, and playing musical instruments, to name a few. But it would be impossible to learn them if you lack sleep.

This is because sleep also affects your sequential thinking as it affects your memory. So, whether or not you need to study for your science or music class, you must still make sure that you get enough sleep for your brain to function better.

Improved Creative Thinking

Creative thinking isn’t only important for you to be able to connect diverse ideas. It also builds a student’s confidence and resilience, which prepares them for their future.

But, if your sleep is curtailed, you won’t be able to enjoy these. This is because sleep deprivation can also cause negative effects on your mood and behavior. It could even lead to depression. As a result, your creative thinking is reduced.

Less Daytime Sleepiness

One of the common causes of daytime sleepiness is sleep deprivation. And as a student, it is also not good for you to experience this as it could impact your academic performance.

Because you’re sleep-deprived, you may feel the need to doze off during your classes. While it may look funny for some, it is not something to laugh about, especially if it’s already affecting your learning. Additionally, it will not only interrupt your learning but your teacher may view it as a behavior concern.

Better Decision-Making

Inadequate sleep can affect how you understand the things around you, your mood, and how you react in certain situations. For this reason, you’re at risk of poor decision-making if you don’t get the right amount of sleep that your body needs.

This could result in misunderstandings between you and other students, as well as your teachers. Plus, it could put you at risk of making risky and unwanted decisions that could lead to disciplinary issues in your school.

Reduced Aggression

Have you ever felt agitated and irritable? In certain situations, it’s normal to feel negative emotions. But, if you always pull up an all-nighter, you’ll often experience it and it could result in negative things.

But, if you have enough sleep, you’ll feel more energized, lighter, and happier. Hence, your mood swings, aggression, and other behavioral concerns are kept at bay.

Prevents Depression and Anxiety

Stress is inevitable even while you’re studying. There’s just so much homework, research, and other things to juggle at the same time to get straight As.

And if you’re not able to manage it right away, it could lead to depression and anxiety, which could affect how you view yourself and the things around you. It could even affect how you socialize. In the worst cases, it could cause your physical health to decline.

Fortunately, sleep can help prevent this. Along with stress-managing techniques, sleep can help manage your stress and keep your mental well-being in its best shape.

Better Social Skills

Sleep impacts your confidence. If you have enough sleep, you’ll feel refreshed and ready to face what’s ahead of you. On top of that, you’ll feel more in control of the things around you. Because of this, you’ll feel more self-assured, which helps you to socialize better with everyone in your school.

Even when you’re young and you feel fine, make sure that you still prioritize your sleep and don’t take advantage of your strength as it doesn’t only affect your health but it can also influence your academic performance.