Pasty, sallow complexions. Blank faces, devoid of any emotion. Dull, lifeless eyes. No—I’m not describing bodies at the local morgue, but rather my classmates after staying awake until one, two, and sometimes even three o’clock in the morning. Most adults think this is due to late nights of studying, and occasionally this will be true. However, many students voluntarily stay awake far past decent hours, even though they know they will regret their decision come morning.

Staying up late is a vicious cycle. A student who falls asleep as the moon goes down then finds him or herself unable to rise and shine with the sun in morning. Waking up at the last possible moment, a student will rush out the door with a stomach screaming for breakfast. Fading ten minutes into class, a caffeinated soft drink squeezes the last bit of energy from a student, good for an hour or two. The student then becomes indistinguishable from a dead battery—cold, devoid of juice, and unable to be activated. A four-hour nap upon arriving home recharges the student, as he or she prepares for another night of moon watching. The cycle continues.

Some students insist they don’t need sleep. They say they get more done late, and claim their focus is much better in class when they are tired. However, one look at the substandard grades made by those students reveals how mistaken they are. Others insist they just can’t fall asleep before midnight. Well, if they will stop chugging caffeine twenty-four hours a day, and adjust their bodies to a more a normal bedtime, their sleep problems may soon disappear. For the true insomniacs there are several sleeping medications that will cause a refreshing, drug induced sleep, though I doubt most teenagers need them.

A body and mind can do amazing things, but only if there is consciousness to back up the systems. A flashlight won’t shine with lifeless batteries, and neither can a person, if their body is constantly trying to make up for lost sleep. So please, American teenagers, just go to sleep. It could be a life-altering decision. Good-night!