Something About Sleep

A survey just released by CNN states that Asia sleeps less hours than any other area in the world. Australia apparently sleeps the most. It would be interesting to know what age group CNN surveyed. On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evening I teach 8 High School Girls. I used to teach 10. The 8 remaining are taught at 7:00 and go to a private High School. The two that I used to teach I taught at 6:00 and go to a public High School. All are in their first year. At both the private and public High School the girls are required to be at the school by 7:00 a.m. . The first 2 hours of the day are strictly for studying. Classes don't actually begin until 9:00 a.m. . Think that's bad? They are also required to be at the school until 9:00 p.m. . Classes stop at 3:00 p.m. but they are required to stay at the school and study until 9:00 p.m. . Private High Schools allow exemptions from this study time so students can go to other schools (Math, Science, Tutor Schools and English). Public High Schools however don't offer this exemption. It gets even better. In their second year of High School students are required to be at the school from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. . Want more? Third year students are required to be at the school from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. . I thought a bit about the third year of High School. It would take students at least an hour to get home and go to bed (12:00 a.m.). To get ready for school and eat breakfast those students would have to be up by at least 6:00 a.m. . That's a maximum of 6 hours of sleep a night! The reality is that students don't go to bed at 12:00 a.m. . I have a Korean friend in Daejeon that tutors students until 12:30 a.m. . I asked my students last night what time they usually go to bed. They all said they go to bed at around 1:00 a.m. . That's 4 hours of sleep a night! My director told me that teachers tell the students that if they can't live on 4 hours of sleep a night then they can never go to Seoul National University (the most prestigious University in Korea but, ironically, very low on the world stage). Teachers seem more concerned with the length of the students hair than with the amount of quality sleep they are getting. It's funny but my students don't complain about his lack of sleep. They feel if they can endure it they will get into a good University and end up with a good job. Besides, it's always been this way; they don't know any different. Personally I can't live without my 8-9 hours of sleep a night.