When I used to run my sporting goods business (Valley Sports Express), I had a sign on our manufacturing floor that read: speed, quality, price – pick any two. I’ll let that sink in…

There’s a reason there is an expression is about burning the candle at both ends and not at three ends. Candles don’t have 3 ends! You can’t win with speed, quality and price. You have to pick any tw. In college, we said classes, parties, or sleep… pick any two.

As a result we have to learn to pursue balance our lives. I’m not talking about the corporate lip service to “work-life balance.” I’m talking about actual balance to achieve our objectives.

As children, we learn (like our pets) to do what “feels good” in the moment. When we become young adults, we must learn to think more about the future. Yet, many adults have gotten so used to working hard in order to play hard. As a result, sleep/rest continues to suffer into adulthood.

Similarly, many students (try to) work hard in school. They all play hard after school. And many overindulge in vampiric timesucks all night long (e.g., video games, social media, etc.). So they sleep in school. They (try) working hard, but they can’t. It’s not their fault, because it’s an endless cycle that is deemed okay.

How much sleep is needed?

Different sources will tell you the number of hours of sleep are needed to stay productive. The general agreement is that teens and pre-teens need more sleep while their bodies and brains are still developing.

Personally, I try to get 7 hours of sleep (9pm – 4am), but I can still function on 4-5. Probably a result of my being a pre-computer era college student. Back then students said “Pass on 4, fail on 5.” That’s hours of sleep.

In any event, students (and adults) should not overlook the importance of rest. Some individuals need more or less than others, but we all need a certain amount. A-B test a sleeping schedule to determine what works for you, then optimize!

If your sleep cycle lasts two hours, you may benefit from 6 or 8 hours. Waking up in between cycles can leave you feeling tired. But for students, it is typically reported that adolescents require as many as 9 hours of sleep each night.

As always…

Remember to pay attention, do the work, and never give up. “Learn. Do. Repeat.” for short. Math is not a spectator sport, so be sure to get enough rest!