Operation Better Zzzzzz

Launch a campaign to track and improve the sleep habits of fellow students. Run a survey, conduct peer-to-peer information sessions and create incentives for better choices. You might even help them sleep their way to better grades!

Did you know that sleep has a huge impact on learning and mental and physical health? Even one night of poor sleep can affect a teen's ability to function. Even worse, the majority of teens operate at a chronic sleep deficit. Get more information on the importance of sleep, then run a survey of your peers over the course of a week. Compile the data into a pitch, and advocate with your school to have a night without homework and a sleep in morning so that teens can catch up on their sleep. Start a conversation in your community about what else can be done to make it easier for teens to get more sleep.

How do I get started? First, do some research about the benefits of sleep, the consequences of short sleep and the impact of lost sleep on teens. Then download our PDF and start thinking about creative ways to track and improve sleep among students at your school and in your community.

How long will this take? Operation Better Zzzzzz is estimated to take between 20-25 hours, but it really depends how many components you include (information campaign, survey, speaker series, for example).

How do I expand this narrative arc?

• Think about bringing in an expert to speak to your school about developing and maintaining healthy sleep habits. Check out the link to (another project) that contemplates this type of program.

• Launch a campaign to change your school day start time, or to initiate regular late start days. Chances are pretty good that there’s already a protocol for this in place - think snow days, for example.

HOT TIP: This is a great Stand Out From The Pack project for someone involved in student government. It can be hard to identify concrete ways to improve student quality of life. Here’s a great example of one of them.