The Overlooked Element: Sleep and its Impact on Academic and Athletic Success

This paper reviews the impact of sleep on our lives, specifically in academic and athletic success, and emphasizes how its effects are often overlooked. A lack of sleep can negatively affect cognitive functions such as memory and attention, however, many students do not realize this. Sleep also affects one's mood and well-being throughout the day, causing them to lose focus and possibly decrease academic success. In terms of athletic success, studies have shown that a lack of sleep increases the injury rate among athletes, which can mean less playing time. However, solutions to this sleep dilemma among student-athletes include a delayed school start time, parents fostering healthy sleep habits, and coaches emphasizing the role of sleep.