Does social media have an effect on the lack of sleep and academics?
“Addiction to social media and its detriments ”
By:Gabriela Cuevas
San Diego, CA – April 23, 2026
Social Media has been around for a while and as new technology has developed so has our social media platforms, becoming more and more intricate. Since social media has become more popular we see an increase in social media addition which has led many to lose sleep. Students are also lacking in good and healthy habits due to social media addiction, keeping up with school work, studying, hygiene, etc.
Many high school students today are struggling with different problems due to social media.
For example, the lack of students doing school work due to distractions from social media apps like TikTok, and Instagram that keep students glued to their phones for hours with videos, trends, and conversations that makes it impossible to break away.. Teens also aren’t doing homework or going to bed at reasonable times to the point where it leads to unmotivation and laziness. All of which makes it difficult for students to succeed. The high rate of sleep and academic problems causes students to develop these behaviors into a habit. As of now around 68% – 70% of students are going through this problem.
Felix Garcia, a Senior at San Diego High School shares how it’s like struggling having to deal with social media and school. He stays up “on purpose” due to tiktock being a “habit”.But he also uses his phone to “explain Homework and other subjects” and as “emergency tools”. He says it’s also an “easy distraction” and a “temptation”. He also advises students struggling with this problem to have “parents take care of their phone” or have a “timer” that will help them with this “addiction”.
Esdres, another Senior student, shares how he struggles with sleeping late while purposely staying up late playing video games and having trouble doing homework. For him “staying up late” on social media is a “temptation”.It allows him to not think about “school.” But, he also agrees how it’s “easy” for him to get “distracted” to have a “fun time” for himself. He also is having trouble “balancing school” with scrolling through “social media” platforms. Esdres has a goal to focus more on what’s going to benefit him, which to him is his “education.” Esdres suggests that all students including himself should “have time for everything” and balance having “fun time” and “homework time.”
As students we have to know how to manage fun activities and school. It’s better to change your ways now before you habitualize doomscrolling and carry that addiction with you for the rest of your life.
