a. What challenges did you overcome throughout this inquiry project? How did you go about
overcoming these challenges?
I think that one of the biggest challenges that I had to overcome throughout my inquiry project was finding reputable sources that answered my specific questions, instead of broad, general answers. I wanted to look into each individual effects, and how the lack of sleep will affect different parts of your body independently, which meant a lot of sifting through websites and studies. To get past these challenges, my only option was to read through many different sources, to find a couple lines that indicate a negative impact to the portion of the body and the length of the effect that I was looking for. This made the project incredibly tedious and long to do.
b. How did this inquiry change the way you think?
This project made me change the way I was viewing late nights, staying up to study. Beforehand, I thought that the best thing to do before a test was to stay up late at night, and cram until I couldn’t physically keep my eyes open. In some cases I would end up falling asleep in my chair, Now, I know that the less you sleep, the worse your brain is at retaining information short term, and long term.
c. How did this investigation impact your future decisions?
I have become more conscious about what time I go to bed the night before a test. Instead of sleeping at 2-3 in the morning, I would go to bed at 11-12. Although it’s still later than I want, progress is progress, and I am slowly healing my relationship with sleep in fear of getting a bad grade because I forgot what I studied the night before.
d. What impact will this investigation have on others locally and/or globally?
This blog post/ research project can have both local and global impacts. Locally, it can help students and community members understand how sleep habits affect their brain function, physical health, and academic performance. By encouraging healthier bedtime routines, such as limiting screen use before bed, people may experience better concentration, mood, and overall well-being. Globally, the findings can raise awareness about the widespread effects of sleep deprivation and promote healthier sleep practices, which may help reduce health problems and improve quality of life for people around the world.
