Sleep Deprivation In Aurora High Schools

Ayden Stahl et al.
Wed, 29 Apr 2026 15:50:00 PDT

This study investigates sleep deprivation among high school students in Aurora, examining how rigorous academics, residential school culture, and demanding schedules contribute to chronic sleep loss. Critically, an important aspect of health is sleep, which affects both mental and physical health significantly. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, teens require 8 to 10 hours of sleep per night, yet national data shows most students fail to meet this recommendation. High schools in Kane County have very rigorous academics, increased work time, and reduced sleep for students. The residential structure is built so you have your friends right next door, which could further impact your sleep when you get distracted. Considering these factors, our project looked into whether high school students are getting enough sleep and what factors affect students’ sleep the most. To do this, our team collected evidence from interviews and surveys and from peer-reviewed sources. We created a student survey that asked about students’ sleep duration, how often they have all-nighters, how they feel about their academic workload and stress levels, and how they feel it affects their performance and mental health. We analyzed the data and compared it to national data. In addition, we spoke with Kane County high school faculty to learn more about the cognitive effects of sleep deprivation on teenagers, and we interviewed students and other faculty members to gain firsthand perspectives. We also used peer-reviewed research on sleep policies to back our findings. Through our research and collection of student data, we have produced a report that is informative and significant to the public. Ultimately, our findings support UNSDG #3: Good Health and Well-Being by showing that reducing academic and environmental stress is essential for fixing systemic sleep deprivation and improving students' long-term health.