Belie System or Worldview

Judaism (Hebrew: ‫ )יהודה‬is the world's oldest Abrahamic religion. There are about 15 million followers
who are called Jews.[1] It is one of the oldest monotheistic religions. Both Christianity and Islam have
similarities with Judaism. These religions accept the belief in one God and the moral teachings of the
Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), which includes the Torah or "‫תורה‬."
The laws and teachings of Judaism come from the Torah, the first five books of the Hebrew
Bible and oral traditions. Some of these were first oral traditions and later written in the Mishnah,
the Talmud, and other works.
The Torah is the most important holy book of Judaism.
Judaism (Hebrew: ‫ )יהודה‬is the world's oldest Abrahamic religion. There are about 15 million followers
who are called Jews.[1] It is one of the oldest monotheistic religions. Both Christianity and Islam have
similarities with Judaism. These religions accept the belief in one God and the moral teachings of the
Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), which includes the Torah or "‫תורה‬."
The laws and teachings of Judaism come from the Torah, the first five books of the Hebrew
Bible and oral traditions. Some of these were first oral traditions and later written in the Mishnah,
the Talmud, and other works.
The Torah is the most important holy book of Judaism.

Basic beliefs
Thirteen Principles of Faith
Maimonides was a famous Jewish teacher of the 12th century. He listed thirteen of the main beliefs in Judaism.
These were called the “Principles of Faith.”[2][3]
1. God is the Maker and the King of the world.
2. There is only one God, and He is the only one who is and will ever be God.
3. God has no body or physical form and nothing else is like Him.
4. God is eternal – He has always existed and will live forever.
5. Only God can answer people’s prayers and people must only pray to Him.
6. The words of the Prophets are true.
7. Moses was the greatest of the Prophets.
8. God gave the whole Torah to Moses.
9. God will not change the Torah and will not give another Torah.
10. God knows the actions and thoughts of people.
11. God rewards and punishes people for the things they do.
12. The Messiah will come.
13. God will make dead people live again when He chooses to.

The three main beliefs at the center of Judaism are Monotheism, Identity, and covenant (love of
God).
The most important teachings of Judaism is that there is one God, who wants people to do what
is just and compassionate. Judaism teaches that a person serves God by learning the holy books
and doing what they teach. These teachings include both ritual actions and ethics. Judaism
teaches that all people are made in the image of God and deserve to be treated
with dignity and respect.
One God
The main teachings of Judaism about God are that there is a God and there is only one God and
that god is Yahweh. Only God created the universe and only He controls it. Judaism also teaches
that God is spiritual and not physical.[4][5]
Jews believe that God is one – a unity: He is one whole, complete being. He cannot
be divided into parts and people cannot say how He looks in words; they can only say how He is
and what He does.[6].
Jews believe that all goodness and morality is from God. God is interested in what people do and
He watches what they do.[7][8]
Judaism teaches that all people are made in the image of God. This is why people must be treated
with dignity and respect. A person serves God by being like God. This means that they must do
what is fair and just, show mercy, and behave with kindnessand love for people.[6][9]
Judaism says that God exists forever, that He is in every place, and that He knows all things. He
is above nature (“supernatural”) but He is in the world and He hears people who pray to Him and
can answer them. God is the main power in the universe.[6]
Judaism teaches that God allows people to choose what to do – this is called “free will.” Free
will is the freedom to do whatever a person wants to but must be responsible of his own actions.
A person is responsible for their actions. God rewards people who do good actions
and punishes people who do bad actions. God gives a person a reward or a punishment in this
world, but He gives the final reward or punishment to the soul of the person after they die.[10]
Jews
Jews believe that God made an agreement called a “covenant” with Abraham, the ancestor of the
Jewish people. The Bible says that God promised to bless Abraham and his descendants if
they worshipped God and were faithful to him. God made this covenant with Abraham's
son, Isaac, and with Isaac's son, Jacob. God gave Jacob another name, Israel. This is how Jacob’s
descendants got the name the “Children of Israel” or “Israelites.” God later gave the Torah to the
Israelites through their leader, Moses. The Torah told the Israelites how to live and build
their community. God gave the Israelites the Ten Commandments and other laws in the
Torah.[11]
The Jews are sometimes called the “Chosen People.” This is because the Bible says God told
them “you will be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:6) and “For you are
a holy people to the Lord your God, and the Lord chose you to be His own special nation out of
all peoples on the earth” (Deuteronomy 14:2). Jews understand this means that they have
special duties and responsibilitiescommanded by God. For example, Jews
must build a just society and serve only God. Jews believe that this covenant works in two ways:
if they follow God’s laws, He will give them his love and protection, but they are also
responsible for their sins – bad actions – and not doing what God told them. Jews believe that
they must teach other people that God exists and that God wants all people to do good actions.
Jews believe that their job in the world is to be "a light to the nations" (Isiah 49:6)
by showing the people of the world ways to make the world a better place.[4][12]
Jews believe that God has given them a special job to repair the world. Their job is to make the
world a better place with more good in it. They must use the things in the world to increase good
and come closer to God. They call this “tikkun olam” – repairing the world. Jews see themselves
as God’s partner to repair the world in any way they can – to find ways to lessen suffering of
people and animals, to make more peace and respect between people, and protect the
earth’s environment from destruction.[13][14]
Jews do not try to convince other people to believe in Judaism. Jews believe they have a special
job to show all peoples that God exists, but people do not have to be Jewish to follow God. All
people can serve God by following the Seven Commandments (rules) given to Noah. But,
Judaism accepts people who choose to change their religion to Judaism.[15]
Torah and MitzvotEdit
Jews believe that God tells them in the Torah the way of life that they must follow. The Torah
says God wants the people of Israel to walk in His ways, to love Him, and to serve Him, and to
keep God’s commandments (Deut. 10:12–13). Actions are more important than beliefs and
beliefs must be made into actions.
These actions are called “mitzvot” in Hebrew (singular: a mitzvah ‫)מצְ וָה‬.
ִ Sometimes they are
called “laws,” "rules" or “commandments”. Many people think of a mitzvah as "a good act," or
"a good thing to do." There are 613 mitzvot in the Torah. Jews believe that the Torah
gives mitzvot for all people; all people must keep seven laws that were taught to Noah and his
children after the flood. The Jews must keep 613 mitzvot, which are listed in the Torah. The
rabbis counted 365 mitzvot that Jews must not do (negative mitzvot), and 248 mitzvot that Jews
must do (positive mitzvot). Some mitzvot are for everyday life, and some are only for special
times, such as Jewish holidays. Many of the 613 mitzvot are about the Holy Temple in Jerusalem
and cannot be done now, since the Temple was destroyed.[16]
Some of the mitzvot are about how people must act to other people. For example, they must
give charity to a poor person, or help a person who is in danger. They must not steal or lie. These
are ethical and moral mitzvot.
Some mitzvot are about how people must act towards God. For example, they must respect God’s
name, or not work on the Sabbath. These are religious or ritual mitzvot. Jews believe that God
tells them to do both ethical and religious acts.[4][17]
Jews see mitzvot as acts that sanctify – bring holiness – to the world and bring people and the
world closer to God. Jews do the mitzvot to sanctify the physical world and the things in it, such
as food and drink, clothing, and natural activities such as sex, work, or seeing beautifulsights.
Before doing many acts, such as eating, Jews say a blessing – a short prayer – that God makes
and gives a person the things that they need for life. In Judaism, life is most holy and important.
A Jew must stop doing other mitzvot of the Torah to help save another person’s life.[4]
Jews believe that they must do the mitzvot with happiness and joy because the Bible says “Serve
God with joy; come before God with singing” (Psalms 100:2). Doing a mitzvah helps a person
come close to God and that makes the person happy. A group of Jews called the Hasidim say this
is the best way to live. They say that worrying takes people away from joy and they will not see
the beauty and good in the world.[18]
Many mitzvot in the Torah are about the Land of Israel. The Talmud and later books call
these mitzvot “commandments connected to the Land” because Jews can only do them in the
Land of Israel. For example, Jews give gifts to the poor or the priests from their fields every
year, take fruit or animals to the Temple in Jerusalem, and must stop working on the land every
seven years (the “shmittah” – sabbatical year).[17][19]
The Land of IsraelEdit
The Land of Israel is holy in Judaism. A Jewish belief is that God created the Earth from Mount
Moriah in Jerusalem in the Land of Israel, and He is always closest to this land. Jews believe that
this land is where God told the Jewish people to build a society to serve Him, and
many mitzvot (commandments) in the Torah are about the Land of Israel.[19][20][21]
The Jewish people believe their history as a nation begins with Abraham. The story of Abraham
in the Torah begins when God tells Abraham to leave his country. He promises Abraham and
his descendants a new home in the land of Canaan. This is now known as the Land of Israel. It is
named after Abraham's grandson, Jacob, who was also called Israel and who was the father of
the twelve tribes. This is where the name “Land of Israel” comes from. The land is also called
“the Promised Land” because in the Torah, God promises to give the land to the children of
Abraham (Gen 12:7, Gen 13:15, Gen 15:18, Gen 17:8).[19][22]
The rabbis of the Talmud understood from the Torah (Num 33:53) that it is a “mitzvah” for Jews
to live in the land of Israel. They saw living outside of Israel as not natural for a Jew. Jews often
called the land outside of Israel "galut." This is usually translated as "diaspora" (a place where
people are scattered), but the word more closely means "exile".[19][23]
The Messiah and saving the worldEdit
The story of leaving Egypt, called the Exodus, is very important in the way the Jewish
people understand the world. The Torah tells how God took a group of slaves, the Israelites,
from slavery, and tells them how to be His partner to build the world. Jews see this story as
a model for the whole world. In the future, the whole world will change, and all the people of the
world will serve the one God. This will be God’s kingdom on Earth. They believe the whole of
Jewish history, and world history, is part of this process.[24]
The prophets taught that God would send a person to the world who would help all the people of
the world see that God is the maker, king of the world and has supreme power. This person is
called the Messiah. The word Messiah comes from the Hebrew word mashiah, which means
"the anointed one". The Book of Isaiah says the Messiah will be a just king who will unite the
Jewish people and lead them in God's way. The Messiah will also unite all the people of the
world to serve God. People will act with justice and kindness, and the whole world will be filled
with peace.[24]
Jews still wait for the Messiah to come. They believe that this will be a person. Other Jews
believe in a future time when justice and peace will come through the cooperation of all people
and the help of God.
-Jewish Community and its Institutions

Jewish families cannot live in isolation. To live a full Jewish life requires engagement with other Jews,
a Jewish community. The community provides services and experiences that the home cannot, and in
addition, fellowship and participation in community have inherent spiritual value in Judaism.

While Jews can pray individually, the presence of a minyan (a quorum of 10 or more men, or adults) is
required for certain portions of the service. Thus, the synagogue emerged as the central institution of
the community. Historically, the synagogue included a beit midrash (a place for study) and often, a guest
room for travelers. Many synagogues contain a mikveh (ritual bath) used for people to immerse in and
also for readying new dishes and cooking utensils for use in a kosher kitchen. Today, many synagogues
house religious schools for community youth, and some have gyms or swimming pools for recreation.

As Jewish communities grew larger, some functions of the synagogue were transferred to separate
institutions, including yeshivot or day schools, Jewish homes for the sick or elderly, and social service
agencies for charity collection and distribution. Today, many of these activities and others are the
function of centralized communal organizations called Federations. Federations support Jewish schools,
community centers, family and counseling services, vocational services, residential services for disabled
or elderly populations, and philanthropy for agencies that provide these same services to Jews in other
lands and in Israel.

In addition to the Federations, myriad organizations provide programs and services focused on specific
issues or specific populations. These include B’nai B’rith, Hadassah, ORT, National Council of Jewish
Women, Jewish War Veterans and numerous others.

Other functions of the Jewish community include:

· Providing kosher food requires bakeries, butchers, and other establishments supervised by overseers
familiar with the details of both food chemistry and the laws of kashrut.

· Burial of the dead requires cemetery land set aside for this purpose. In most American Jewish
communities, a Jewish cemetery preceded the organization of the first synagogue. But, burial is not the
only issue. The body must be washed, dressed and attended prior to burial. The hevrah kadisha–burial
society–attends to these needs through Jewish funeral homes.

· With the invention of movable type, Jewish booksellers and Jewish bookstores became a feature of the
community. Today, these stores sell Jewish ritual items as well.

The diversity of family life today demands that the community be prepared to not only provide those
functions inherent to community, but also to fill in the gaps of Jewish home life. Jewish schools, summer
camps, youth groups, and community centers all reinforce the home experiences, or in some cases,
provide these experiences for the first time. The community is therefore the partner of the home in
creating and perpetuating a vibrant Jewish life.

-Myths

Biblical myths are found mainly in the first 11 chapters of Genesis, the first book of the Bible. They are
concerned with the creation of the world and the first man and woman, the origin of the current human
condition, the primeval Deluge, the distribution of peoples, and the variation of languages.

The basic stories are derived from the popular lore of the ancient Middle East; parallels can be found
in the extant literature of the peoples of the area. The Mesopotamians, for instance, also knew of an
earthly paradise such as Eden, and the figure of the cherubim—properly griffins rather than angels—
was known to the Canaanites. In the Bible, however, this mythical garden of the gods becomes the
scene of man’s fall and the background of a story designed to account for the natural limitations of
human life. Similarly, the Babylonians told of the formation of humankind from clay. But, whereas in
the pagan tale the first man’s function is to serve as an earthly menial of the gods, in the scriptural
version his role is to rule over all other creatures. The story of the Deluge, including the elements of
the arkand the dispatch of the raven and dove, appears already in the Babylonian myths
of Gilgamesh and Atrahasis. There, however, the hero is eventually made immortal, whereas in the
Bible this detail is omitted because, to the Israelite mind, no child of woman could achieve that status.
Lastly, while the story of the Tower of Babel was told originally to account for the stepped temples
(ziggurats) of Babylonia, to the Hebrew writer its purpose is simply to inculcate the moral lesson that
humans should not aspire beyond their assigned station.

Scattered through the Prophets and Holy Writings (the two latter portions of the Hebrew Bible)
are allusions to other ancient myths—e.g., to that of a primordial combat between YHWH and a monster
variously named Leviathan (Wriggly), Rahab (Braggart), or simply Sir Sea or Dragon. The Babylonians
told likewise of a fight between their god Marduk and the monster Tiamat; the Hittites told of a battle
between the weather god and the dragon Illuyankas; while a Canaanite poem from Ras Shamra
(ancient Ugarit) in northern Syria relates the discomfiture of Sir Sea by the deity Baaland the rout of an
opponent named Leviathan. Originally, this mythprobably referred to the annual subjugation of the
floods.
Ancient myths are utilized also in the form of passing allusions or poetic “conceits,” much as modern
Westerners may speak of Cupid or the Muses. In the prophetic books, for example, there are references to
a celestial upstart hurled to earth on account of his brashness and to the imprisonment of certain rebellious
constellations.
The prophets used myths paradigmatically to illustrate the hand of God in contemporary events or to
reinforce their prophecies. Thus, to Isaiah the primeval dragon was the symbol of the continuing force
of chaos and evil that will again have to be vanquished before the kingdom of God can be established on
earth. Similarly, for Ezekiel the celestial upstart serves as the prototype of the prince of Tyre, destined for
an imminent fall; and Habakkuk sees in the impending rout of certain invaders a repetition on the stage of
history of YHWH’s mythical sortie against the monster of the sea.
Legends and other tales

Legends in the Hebrew Scriptures often embellish the accounts of national heroes with standard motifs
drawn from popular lore. Thus, the Genesis story of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife recurs substantially (but
with other characters) in an Egyptian papyrus of the 13th century BCE. The account of the
infant Moses being placed in the bulrushes (in Exodus) has an earlier counterpart in a Babylonian tale
about Sargon, king of Akkad (c. 2334–c.2279 BCE), and is paralleled later in legends associated with the
Persian Cyrus and with Tu-Küeh, the fabled founder of the Turkish nation. Jephthah’s rash vow
(in Judges), whereby he is committed to sacrifice his daughter, recalls the
Classical legend of Idomeneus of Crete, who was similarly compelled to slay his own son. The motif of
the letter whereby David engineers the death in battle of Bathsheba’s husband recurs in Homer’s story of
Bellerophon. The celebrated judgment of Solomonconcerning the child claimed by two contending
women is told, albeit with variations of detail, about Buddha, Confucius, and other sages; the story of
how Jonah was swallowed by a “great fish” but was subsequently disgorged intact finds a parallel in the
Indian tale of the hero Shaktideva, who endured the same experience during his quest for the Golden City.
On the other hand, it should be observed that many of the parallels commonly cited from the folklore
of indigenous peoples may be mere repetitions of biblical material picked up from Christian missionaries.

The Judgement of SolomonThe Judgement of Solomon, oil on canvas by Peter Paul Rubens (c. 1617), in the Statens
Museum for Kunst (National Gallery of Denmark) in Copenhagen, Denmark.Statens Museum for Kunst (National Gallery
of Denmark); www.smk.dk (Public domain)
Moses being saved by the pharaoh's daughter, colour illustration from a Victorian-era Bible, c. 1860s.© Historical
Picture Archive/Corbis

(“ Face of God”). The custom of annually bewailing the vanished spirit of fertility is rationalized in
Judges as a lamentation for the hapless daughter of Jephthah.
The Hebrew Bible also contains a few examples of fables (didactic tales in which animals or plants play
human roles). Thus, the serpent in Eden talks to Eve, and Balaam’s ass not only speaks but also seeks to
avoid an angel, unseen by Balaam, that is blocking the road, while trees compete for kingship in the
celebrated parable of Jotham in Judges. Finally, in the Book of Job (38:31) there are allusions to star
myths concerning the binding of Orion (called “the Fool”) and the “chaining” of the Pleiades.
-Ritual of Judaism

Yom Kippur, ("Day of Atonement") is the holiest day of theJewish year. It is a day of communal
fasting and praying for forgiveness for one's sins. Observant Jews spend the entire day in the
synagogue, sometimes with a short break in the afternoon, reciting prayers from a special
holiday prayerbook called a "Machzor".

-Characteristic of Judaism
-Writings

Jews believe that to know what God wants them to do, they must study the books of Torah and its laws
and do what they teach. These include both laws about how to behave to other people and how to serve
God.[6]
The two most important groups of books in Judaism are the Bible and the Talmud. The beliefs and actions
of Judaism come from these books. Jewish teachers and scholars wrote more books, called commentaries.
They explain and say more about what is written in the Bible and Talmud.
The Torah
The Torah is the most important of all Jewish writings. The first five books of the Hebrew Bible (known
to Christians as the "Old Testament") make up the Torah. The Torah contains the basic laws of Judaism
and describes the history of the Jews until the death of Moses. Jewish tradition says that God told Moses
what to write in the Torah, which is also called the Five Books of Moses. Religious Jews believe that
Moses brought the Ten Commandments and the Torah down from Mount Sinai. The Ten Commandments
are special because they were heard by all of the Jewish people at Mount Sinai. However, in traditional
Judaism, all of the 613 mitzvot in the Torah are equally important.
Jews divide the Hebrew Bible into three parts and call it the Tanakh. The three parts are the Torah, which
is the first five books; the Nevi'im, which are the books of the prophets; and the Ketuvim, meaning the
Writings, which are other books of history and moral teachings.
Talmud
Rabbinic Jews also believe that there is another part of the Torah besides the five books of Moses. It is
called the Mishnah, also called the Oral Torah or Oral Law. It explains how to follow the laws written in
the 5 books. There is a commentary (explanation) of the Mishnah, called the Gemara. Together, the
Mishna and the Gemara make up the Talmud. But Karaite Jews believe that there is no additional Torah
besides the five books of Moses.
Traditional Jews believe that God gave the written Torah and the oral Torah to Moses and that Moses told
it to the Jewish people, and that it is the same today as it was back then. Traditional Jews also believe that
all of the commandments must still be followed today.

Liberal Jews believe that the Torah was inspired by God but written by human beings. Liberal Jews
believe that all of the ethical laws in the Torah must still be followed, but many ritual laws do not need to
be followed today.

It is considered good in Judaism to talk about the commandments and to try to understand how to follow
them. The Talmud has many stories about Rabbis who argued about the commandments. Over time, some
opinions have become the rule for everyone. Some rules are still being argued about. Jews praise logical
argument and looking for truth.
 There is no single leader of Judaism who can decide how to follow the commandments or what to believe.
Even though Jews believe different things and they disagree about the rules, they are still one religion and
one people.

-Daily way of life

An old torah

Kashrut: Jewish food laws

Jews who follow the religious rules called "kashrut" only eat some types of food that are prepared by
special rules. Food that a Jew can eat is called kosher food.[25]
Traditional Jews are very careful about kashrut. They usually cannot eat many foods in non-kosher
restaurants or in the home of someone who does not keep kosher. Sometimes, this makes it hard to visit
people or to do business. It is important to understand that this is part of their religion. People help avoid
this problem by choosing to dine with Traditional Jews in a kosher restaurant or serve them kosher food
in their home.

Liberal Jews are not so careful about kosher, although some of them may keep some rules.

Kosher foodsEdit
 Jews can eat any fresh fruit or vegetables that do not have any insects on or in them.
 Jews can eat any fish that has scales and fins. This includes fish like salmon and tuna. They cannot
eat seafood like shrimp, lobster, or mussels.
 Jews can eat meat of any animal that chews its cud (food which has already been partly digested), and has
split hooves. For example, cows, sheep, deer, and goats. However to be kosher it must be slaughtered and
prepared in a specific way.
 Jews can eat many common birds such as chickens and turkeys and duck. The birds must also be
slaughtered and prepared in a specific way. Jews can't eat birds of prey, like vultures.
 Foods sold in stores or restaurants must be checked by a Jew who is an expert in Kashrut. The name for
this person is "mashgiach," or kosher overseer. He makes sure that the kosher rules were kept. Foods
bought at the store often have a symbol called a hechsher on them to tell the customer that the food have
been checked. Many everyday foods have a hechsher.
 Honey is an insect product made by bees, but it is kosher.
 It is a well-known myth that kosher food must be blessed by a rabbi, a rabbi cannot bless a food and make
it Kosher.

Non-kosher food
 Some call non-kosher foods "Treifah," meaning "torn." This is because the Torah says not to eat an
animal that has been killed or torn by another animal.
 Jews cannot eat animals that do not have split hooves or animals that do not chew their cud. Unlike cows
and sheep, pigs have split hooves, but do not chew their cud and are therefore not kosher.
 Jews cannot eat rodents, reptiles or amphibians.
 Jews cannot eat any sea animal that does not have scales and fins. For
example, sharks, eels, crabs, shrimp and lobsters are not kosher.
 Jews cannot eat birds that eat meat like vultures, which are mentioned in a list in the Torah.
 Jews cannot eat any insects, except for a few types of crickets or locusts.
 Other kosher rules
There are other rules for kosher food as well.

 Animals must be killed in a certain way, including using a fast strike across the neck with a very sharp
blade which makes sure that the animal dies quickly.
 All the blood must be removed from an animal before the meat is eaten. This is done by soaking and
salting the meat.
 A Jew cannot eat a meal that has both meat and milk in it. This comes from the rule (in the Torah) that a
Jew must not cook a young goat in its mother's milk. Because of this, Jews use separate dishes and
utensils for foods that have meat in it, and foods that have milk in it.
 After eating meat, many Jews do not drink milk products before a time period between 1 to 6 hours has
passed.
 Kosher food must be cooked in a kitchen for actual kosher food. If the kitchen has been used to cook non-
kosher food, such as rabbit and pig then the kitchen must be cleaned in a special way before it can be used
to cook kosher food.

-Holidays
Jewish women light candles to welcome the Sabbath and holidays

Shabbat
One of the commandments is to keep the Jewish Sabbath, or Shabbat. Shabbat starts every Friday at
sunset and ends on Saturday at nightfall. Shabbat is a day of rest to thank God for making the universe.
The tradition of resting on Shabbat comes from the Torah. According to the Torah, God created the world
in six days and on the seventh day, Shabbat, He rested. Many Jews go to their temple or synagogue to
pray on Shabbat.
Religious Jews follow special rules on Shabbat. These rules require Jews not to do creative work on
Shabbat. One reason for this is to give people a break from all the things that make them busy during the
week. This helps them focus more on appreciating God, their family, and the rest of creation. Also it
reminds people that God is the creator and ruler of the world; and no matter how great a person's creative
power is, it cannot compare with God's creation of the universe and everything in it. Many of these
categories of creative work include actions that people might not think of as work. For instance, on
Shabbat a Jew cannot:

 Use electrical machines like phones, computers, or a TV

 Buy or sell things
 Put on or off a fire or a light
 Drive a car or ride a bicycle
 Cook
 Write
 Build or fix things

Traditional Jews are very careful about Shabbat. It is a special day. They clean their houses and prepare
special food for Shabbat. They dress in their nicest clothes. They sing beautiful songs and say extra
prayers in the synagogue. They have dinner and lunch with their families. Many families also invite
 guests for dinner and for lunch. They eat special delicious food, and sing together traditional Shabbat
songs. On Shabbat afternoon people study Judaism together or just visit friends.

Liberal Jews do not follow those rules. Some do go to synagogue, visit friends, or have special meals. But
they may also talk on the phone, drive cars, and go shopping.

-Important points in a Jewish life

 Death
 Birth
 Brit Mila (for boys) a circumcision ceremony when a boy is 8 days old. It includes naming the baby.
Some non-Orthodox Jews practice Brit Shalom, a baby naming ceremony for Jewish boys without
circumcision.
 Pidyon haben (for boys) is when a father does a special ceremony to redeem his wife's first son from the
Temple, as originally all firstborn boys were sent to serve in the Temple. Levites (a tribe of Israel) and
Cohanim (priests) do not do this ritual.
 Bat Mitzvah (for girls) a 'coming of age' ceremony when a girl turns 12 (13 for some Jews). Bat Mitzvah
means "daughter of the mitvah" or "daughter of the commandments" in Hebrew. Once a girl turns 12 (or
13), she is considered a woman and is expected to follow Jewish law. A ceremony is not required. Bat
Mitzvah not only refers to the ceremony, but also to the girl herself.
 Bar Mitzvah (for boys) a 'coming of age' ceremony when a boy turns 13. It includes reading
the Torah and special prayers. Bar Mitzvah means "son of the mitzvah" or "son of the commandments"
in Hebrew. Once a boy turns 13, he is considered a man and is expected to follow Jewish law. A
ceremony is not required. Bar Mitzvah not only refers to the ceremony, but also to the boy himself.
 Marriage
 Having Children

Causes and Effects of Lack of Sleep to the Grade !0 Students in Daraga National
High School

What's to know about sleep deprivation ?

The loss of sleep is a common problem in modern society, affecting many individuals at some point in
their lives.
Sleep deprivation occurs when an individual gets less sleep than they need to feel awake and
alert. People vary in how little sleep is needed to be considered sleep-deprived. Some people
such as older adults seem to be more resistant to the effects of sleep deprivation, while others,
especially children and young adults, are more vulnerable.

Although occasional sleep interruptions are generally no more than a nuisance, ongoing lack of
sleep can lead to excessive daytime sleepiness, emotional difficulties, poor job
performance, obesity and a lowered perception of quality of life.
 There is no questioning the importance of restorative sleep, and a certain amount of attention is
necessary to both manage and prevent sleep deprivation.

This Medical News Today Knowledge Center article examines the consequences of sleep
deprivation, along with what can be done to treat and prevent it.

Fast facts on sleep deprivation

Here are some key points about sleep deprivation. More detail and supporting information is in
the main article.

 Sleep loss alters normal functioning of attention and disrupts the ability to focus on
environmental sensory input.

 Lack of sleep has been implicated as playing a significant role in tragic accidents involving
airplanes, ships, trains, automobiles and nuclear power plants

 Children and young adults are most vulnerable to the negative effects of sleep deprivation

 Sleep deprivation can be a symptom of an undiagnosed sleep disorder or other medical

problem

 When you fail to get your required amount of sufficient sleep, you start to accumulate a sleep
debt.

Symptoms

When an individual does not get enough sleep to feel awake and alert, they begin to experience symptoms
of sleep deprivation.

The main symptom of ongoing sleep loss is excessive daytime sleepiness, but other symptoms include:

 yawning  fatigue

 moodiness  irritability
 depressed mood  clumsiness

 difficulty learning new concepts  increased appetite and carbohydrate cravings

 forgetfulness  reduced sex drive

 inability to concentrate or a "fuzzy" head

 lack of motivation

Effects

Sleep deprivation can negatively affect a range of systems in the body.

It can have the following impact:
 Not getting enough sleep prevents the body from strengthening the immune system and
producing more cytokines to fight infection. This can mean a person can take longer to recover
from illness as well as having an increased risk of chronic illness.
 Sleep deprivation can also result in an increased risk of new and advanced respiratory diseases.
 A lack of sleep can affect body weight. Two hormones in the body, leptin and ghrelin, control
feelings of hunger and satiety, or fullness. The levels of these hormones are affected by sleep.
Sleep deprivation also causes the release of insulin, which leads to increased fat storage and a
higher risk of type 2 diabetes.
 Sleep helps the heart vessels to heal and rebuild as well as affecting processes that
maintain blood pressure and sugar levels as well as inflammation control. Not sleeping
enough increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.
 Insufficient sleep can affect hormone production, including growth hormones and testosteronein men.
Causes
Sleep deprivation occurs when someone does not get a healthy amount of sleep.
The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) 2015 recommendations for appropriate sleep durations for specific
age groups are:
 Newborns (0 to 3 months): 14 to 17 hours each day
 Infants (4 to 11 months): 12 to 15 hours
 Toddlers (1 to 2 years): 11 to 14 hours
 Preschoolers (3 to 5 years): 10 to 13 hours
 School-age children (6 to 13 years): 9 to 11 hours
 Teenagers (14 to 17 years): 8 to 10 hours
 Adults (18 to 64 years): 7 to 9 hours
 Older adults (over 65 years): 7 to 8 hours
Some groups of people may consider sleep as wasted time and purposely deprive themselves of sleep to
pursue other things such as entertainment, educational goals, or money-making pursuits.

This intentional sleep deprivation is most likely to be seen in teenagers and young adults.

Others may unintentionally not get enough sleep because of shift work, family obligations, or
demanding jobs.
Consistent sleep-wake patterns of going to bed late, frequent nighttime arousals, or waking up early can
lead to sleep deprivation and the accumulation of sleep debt.

Additional causes of sleep deprivation include medical problems such as depression, obstructive sleep
apnea, hormone imbalances, and other chronic illnesses.

Treatment

Treatment is only required when a person physically cannot get to sleep, due to either physical or
psychological difficulties.

A therapist or sleep specialist will be able to offer guidance and coping techniques for reaching a restful
state and sleeping.

There are two main avenues of treatment for sleep deprivation: Behavioral and cognitive measures and
medications.

Behavioral and cognitive treatments

There are a number of effective methods to enhance sleep that do not require medication, including:

 Relaxation techniques: Progressive muscle relaxation involving tensing and untensing different muscles
in the body to help calm the body. Meditation techniques, mindfulness training, breathing exercises, and
guided imagery can also help in this area. Audio recordings are available that can help a person fall asleep
at night.
 Stimulation control: This involves controlling pre-bedtime activities and surroundings to moderate the
sleeping pattern. For example, a person controlling their stimulus would spend time in bed only when they
feel sleepy, which controls the association between being in bed and feeling ready to sleep.
 Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): This is a type of therapy designed to help people understand and
change the thought patterns behind certain behaviors. It can challenge beliefs that may not be healthy and
promote rational, positive thought. CBT can help a person to develop a healthier sleeping pattern.

Medications

When non-medicinal treatment is not effective, drugs are available that can help induce sleep. Some are available
over-the-counter (OTC), and some are only available with a valid prescription.

There is a wide range of available options, including benzodiazepines, non-benzodiazepine hypnotics, and melatonin
receptor antagonists.

However, some people form a dependency on sleeping medications. It is important to limit the dosage and try to use
non-medicinal measures where possible.

Home management

The good news is that most of the negative effects of sleep deprivation reverse when sufficient sleep is obtained.
The treatment for sleep deprivation is to satisfy the biological sleep need, prevent deprivation and "pay back"
accumulated sleep debt.

Some suggestions for good sleep habits include:

  going to bed when tired
 following a routine for bed and wake-up times, keeping it consistent every day of the week
 avoiding eating 2 to 3 hours before bedtime
 if unable to fall asleep after 20 minutes of trying, going to another room and trying to read until
feeling sleepy, then returning to bed
 engaging in regular exercise during the day
 keeping the bedroom quiet, dark and a comfortably cool temperature
 turning off electronic devices when you go to bed

Paying off the sleep debt

When you fail to get your required amount of sufficient sleep you start to accumulate a sleep debt. For
example, if you need 7 hours of sleep nightly to feel awake and alert and only get 5 hours, you have a
sleep debt of 2 hours. If you continue that pattern for five nights, you have an accumulated sleep debt
of 10 hours.

The only way to erase a sleep debt is to get more sleep. Depending on the scale of the sleep debt, it may
take some time to recover fully. However, the positive effects of paying this debt off will be felt quickly.

To pay back a sleep debt, it is necessary to start getting the sleep you need, plus an additional hour or so per night,
until the debt is paid. Afterwards, the required amount of sleep can be resumed without the additional hour.

Even if the sleep debt is hundreds or even thousands of hours, it can still be successfully reconciled with a conscious
effort to restructure obligations, and allowing sufficient time off to recover. You will know you have paid back your
sleep debt when you wake up feeling refreshed, and you do not feel excessively drowsy during the day.

If sleep deprivation is ongoing, and negative symptoms persist despite practicing good sleep hygiene measures,
consultation with a healthcare provider is recommended.

Diagnosis

It is important when diagnosing sleep deprivation to identify an ongoing cycle of poor sleep.

The first step for recognizing a sleep problem is to keep a written sleep history in a sleep log. Write
down each day how many hours sleep you have, how many times per night you wake up, how rested
you feel after waking up, and any feelings of sleepiness you experience during the day.

If you have a partner, it may be worth asking them to note any snoring, gasping, or limb-jerking, as a
doctor may also ask about this.

It will then be possible to present this information to any doctor you visit in a meaningful way.

Sleep specialists can also identify a pattern using a polysomnogram, or sleep study. This is carried out in
a sleep laboratory.
Electrodes are placed at various points on the body, including the scalp and face. The person with
suspected sleep deprivation will sleep overnight at a sleep clinic, and these monitors will measure
breathing, blood, heart rate and rhythm, muscle activity, and brain and eye movements during sleep.

Especially in those who will fully sleep too little, diagnosis can be as simple as recognizing that you do
not get enough sleep and deciding to make changes.

Complications

Shift work and demanding jobs can lead to sleep deprivation over time.

Sleep deprivation weakens the ability of the part of the brain that handles reasoning, known as the
prefrontal cortex, to control the emotional part, the amygdala. This leads to the abnormal processing of
emotions.

Sleep also appears to be necessary to prepare the brain for learning. When the brain is deprived of
sleep, it is difficult to concentrate and form new memories.

When we stay awake all night or significantly cut sleep short, the body does not release the hormones
necessary to regulate growth and appetite, and instead forms an overabundance of stress chemicals,
such as norepinephrine and cortisol.

Research suggests shorter sleep durations may be a predictor of weight gain in adults and children. Each
1 hour reduction in sleep time per day is associated with an increase of 0.35 kilograms (kg) in body
weight. These changes result in an increased risk for hypertension, diabetes, obesity, heart attack,
and stroke in the sleep-deprived individual.

Sleep loss can have a profound impact on both emotional function and normal thinking abilities in
healthy individuals, resulting in:

 reduced tendency to think positively

 bad moods, a decreased willingness to solve problems
 a greater tendency towards superstitious and magical thinking
 intolerance and less empathy toward others
 poor impulse control
 inability to delay gratification

Sleep-deprived people are more likely to report increased feelings of worthlessness, inadequacy,
powerlessness, failure, low self-esteem, poor job performance, conflicts with coworkers, and reduced
quality of life. Many of these deficits remain even when alertness is sustained with stimulants such as
caffeine.

Finally, sleep-deprived individuals score higher on clinical scales measuring depression, anxiety, and
paranoia.

Increased risk of accidents

After around 16 hours of staying awake, the body attempts to balance the need for sleep. If a person
does not get enough sleep, the brain obtains sleep through short sleep attacks called microsleeps.

This is an uncontrollable brain response that renders a person unable to process environmental
stimulation and sensory information for a brief amount of time.

A person's eyes often remain open during microsleeps, but they are essentially "zoned out." As the
nature of these attacks is sudden, the consequences of a sleep-deprived individual operating heavy
machinery or driving can be catastrophic to both the individual as well as innocent bystanders.

Microsleeps will continue to occur despite an individual's forced attempt to stay awake, and because of
this inbuilt sleep mechanism, it is extremely difficult for an individual to remain awake for more than 48
hours straight.

Prevention

Sleep deprivation can be linked to serious accidents and poor job or school performances. It can
substantially lower an individual's overall quality of life. Lack of sleep disrupts the brain's ability to
balance emotions and thinking abilities, lowers the body's natural defenses, and increases the chances
of developing chronic medical problems.

While the occasional poor night's sleep is not a serious problem in itself, persistent sleep deprivation can
be.

There is no substitute for restorative sleep. A certain amount of care should be taken to prevent ongoing
sleep deprivation in individuals of all ages.

The Effects of Sleep Deprivation on High School Students

Sleep is one of, if not the most important, part of our day. This vital biological activity gives individuals the
energy needed to perform even the simplest of tasks, such as walking, concentrating, and conversing.
Sleep serves to re-energize the body’s cells, clear waste from the brain, and support learning and
memory. It even plays vital roles in regulating mood, appetite and libido. The brain generates two distinct
types of sleep—slow-wave sleep (SWS), known as deep sleep, and rapid eye movement (REM), also
called dreaming sleep. SWS takes up most of the time during sleep, characterized by large, slow brain
waves, relaxed muscles and deep breathing, which may help the brain and body to recuperate after a
long day. After SWS, REM sleep begins. In REM sleep, a dreamer’s brain becomes highly active while
the body’s muscles are paralyzed, and breathing and heart rate become erratic. The purpose of REM
sleep remains a biological mystery 1.

Unfortunately, sleep is not prioritized in society, and often needs to be sacrificed by high school students.
Multiple studies have shown that present day high school students do not receive an optimal amount of
sleep. “According to most sleep experts, most adolescents need about 9 hours of sleep per night. Today,
nearly two thirds of adolescents get under 8 hours of sleep, and two fifths get under 6 hours of sleep per
night” 2. There are excessive demands placed on teenagers, which prevent them from receiving the
required amount of sleep that they desperately need. Often, high school students stay up until the wee
hours to study. Time after time, students push academic requirements to the end of their schedule
because of extracurricular activities such as school clubs, sports practices, music rehearsals, or work.
Schools should start classes later in the morning to allow students to get more sleep, as sleep deprivation
not only inhibits academic performance, but hinders the ability to drive and also negatively impacts an
individual’s physical and mental health. High schools, specifically, should start the school day later in the
morning, because as children mature into post-pubescent adolescents, their demands for sleep
substantially increase. One’s health and happiness depends on getting the proper amount of sleep. Yet,
across the country, boards of education make students begin their day extremely early. As a result,
teenagers are not getting enough sleep, which is one of the most basic elements to allow one to optimally
function during the day.

Sleep allows one to be alert, insightful, and sharp. Sleep allows students to properly solve problems.
When students do not get the optimal 8 to 10 hours of sleep that they need, they lose their ability to
succeed academically 3. Students have trouble retaining information, coping with stress, and staying
focused. “These effects can have a serious impact on test scores and on the grades students receive on
class projects and papers” 4. Starting the school day later in the morning allows students to get more
sleep. “Compared to other strategies for boosting economic performance, delaying the start of the school
day is easy and efficient” 5. A study performed by Teny M. Shapiro, an economist at St. Clara University,
estimated that beginning classes just one hour later produces the same effect as shrinking class size by
one-third or replacing a teacher in the 50th percentile or effectiveness with one in the 84th 5.

Additionally, sleep deprivation greatly increases the risk for motor vehicle accidents. It has been proven
that getting six hours of sleep – only two to three hours less than recommended – can lead to effects
equivalent to a blood alcohol level of 0.05-0.1% 6. Drivers experience processing delays, poor
coordination, decreased vigilance, and even microsleeps while behind the wheel. According to the
American Automobile Association Foundation for Traffic Safety, drowsy driving accounts for one in six
fatal automobile crashes 7 . Even with proper amounts of sleep, teenage drivers are at a higher risk for
getting into an accident due to their inexperience with driving. Adding sleep deprivation to this
inexperience, along with driving at extremely early hours in the morning, fighting a teenager’s shifting
circadian rhythm, greatly compounds the risk for a motor vehicle accident. Drivers are twice as likely to
get into an accident if they only get 5-6 hours of sleep, and four to five times more likely to get into an
accident if they get between 4 and 5 hours of sleep 7 . These data emphasizes the necessity for sleep,
and, in turn, the extreme dangers of the lack of sleep.

Moreover, sleep deprivation can lead to several health issues. Early school start times create excessive
burdens on the fragile body of a teenager. “Sleep deprivation increases the risk for diabetes, obesity, and
high blood pressure… Tired students may reach for foods high in sugar or caffeine, hoping they will get a
temporary boost [to endure long hours full of homework and studying, rather than sleep]” 4. Mentally,
students may experience clinical depression or anxiety, irritability, or lack of motivation from sleep
deprivation 4. “Teens who don’t get enough sleep are more at risk for drug and alcohol use, depression,
and suicide” 5. Addiction rates increase in those who are sleep deprived, which can ruin lives and
families; all due to the poor decision by school boards to start the school day too early.

High schools in particular should start classes later in the morning to accommodate the biological
changes that occur during the teenage years. Adolescents undergo a sleep phase delay, also known as a
change in their circadian rhythm 3. Teenagers’ bodies secrete melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep,
around 10-11 p.m., rather than at 8-9 p.m. before puberty, so teenagers feel the urge to stay up later at
night. Nevertheless, 8-10 hours of sleep is still needed. Adolescents therefore feel the need to wake up
later in the morning 3. “Several studies show that teens cannot get out of this melatonin-induced sleep
until 8:00 a.m., making later school start times desirable” 4.

Despite all of these detrimental and dangerous repercussions of sleep deprivation, some parents and
school board members argue that it would be too hard or too expensive to alter the school schedule that
has been in place for decades. Some may use the excuse that if schools started later, there would not be
enough time for athletics. However, a 2012 Los Angeles study found that student-athletes who received
less than 8 hours of sleep were injured more often, and missed at least one week of playing due to their
injury 5. Others argue that it is too expensive to change the bell schedule. This is completely invalid. In
states where district funding is based on school attendance, such as New Jersey, Maryland, and
California, starting school later would have a positive economic impact. Megan Reilly, chief financial
officer for the Los Angeles Unified School District, has estimated that “Boosting attendance by just 1%
district wide would bring in an additional $40 million [in revenue] per year” 5. Furthermore, athletic injuries
due to sleep deprivation lead to one million dollars per year in medical expenses, which could be
eliminated with later bell schedules 5. Lastly, car accidents due to drowsy driving lead to an estimated
annual cost of $109 billion 5.

Academics, health, and safety are fundamental parts of a teenager’s life. Schools are putting all of these
vital components at risk. Sleep deprivation leads to poor academic performance. High school students
are under much more pressure than previous generations of students, and don’t have enough time for
both their schoolwork, extracurricular activities, and sleep. High schools make students wake up before
sunrise, which undeniably inhibits one’s chances for success. When teenagers are sleep deprived, they
have trouble comprehending information, focusing. and staying alert. Additionally, sleep deprivation
greatly contributes to car accidents, as affected individuals do not have the proper coordination and
readiness needed to drive well. Lastly, sleep deprivation leads to multiple physical and mental medical
issues. Risk for suicide and depression increase, as well as the risk for diabetes and high blood pressure.
School systems may argue that starting the school day earlier is beneficial, as earlier start times place
less of a burden on working parents, and allow more time for after school activities and jobs. Additionally,
it may be financially advantageous for schools to start earlier as it would allow for a more efficient bussing
schedule for the entire district. However, the negative health consequences of sleep deprivation greatly
outweigh these benefits.

Sleep deprivation is a national epidemic occurring in high school students which can, and must, be
addressed.

Bibliography

1. “What Happens in the Brain during Sleep?” Scientific American. Accessed September 30, 2017.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-happens-in-the-brain-during-sleep1/.

2. “Why We Must – and Can – Restore Safe & Healthy School Hours Search.” Schools Start Later.
http://www.startschoollater.net/why-change.html.

3. “Later School Start Times.” The National Sleep Foundation. Accessed September 27, 2017.
https://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-news/backgrounder-later-school-start-times.

4. Morgan, Leigh Ann. “Pros and Cons of Later School Start Times.” Sleeping Resources. Accessed
September 27, 2017. http://sleepingresources.com/pros-and-cons-of-later-school-start-times/.

Sleep Insufficiency, Sleep Health Problems and Performance in High School Students
Xue Ming,1 Rebecca Koransky,2,3 Victor Kang,2,4 Sarah Buchman,2,3 Christina E. Sarris,2,3 andGeorge C.
Wagner5

Xue Ming
1Department of Neurosciences and Neurology, UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA
Sarah Buchman
2Office
of Research and Sponsored Programs for Summer Student Research, UMDNJ-NJMS, Newark,
NJ, USA
3New Jersey Medical School, UMDNJ, Newark, NJ, USA
Christina E. Sarris
2Office
of Research and Sponsored Programs for Summer Student Research, UMDNJ-NJMS, Newark,
NJ, USA

Abstract
A survey on sleep schedule, sleep health, school performance and school start times was
conducted in 1,941 adolescents. A high level of early and circadian-disadvantaged sleep/wake
schedules during weekdays was observed. Shorter sleep duration on weekdays was reported,
especially in upper classmen. Complaints of inadequate sleep and sleepiness during weekdays,
alarm clock use, and napping were prevalent. Night awakening and prolonged sleep onset were
common and associated with poor school performance. Students with a sleep length of less than
7 hours on both weekdays and weekends exhibited poorer performance, while those who made
up this sleep loss on weekends did not. The total number of poor sleep factors in an individual
also correlated with poor school performance. Earlier school start times were associated with a
perception of poor sleep quality, shorter sleep duration and more sleep health problems. We
conclude that sleep inadequacies and sleep health problems were prevalent in this population,
especially in those who started school earlier in the morning, and that these poor sleep factors
were associated with school performance.
Keywords: sleep deprivation, sleep health problem, adolescents, performance, school start time

Introduction
Sleep is an integrated part of human health and life and is crucial for learning, performance, and
physical and mental health.1 Traffic accidents, performance errors, and exacerbation of disease
states have all been linked to poor sleep quality. Furthermore, individuals who must perform
during their disadvantaged circadian hours (such as shift workers) are more prone to accidents
and health problems.2
There has been an increased awareness of insufficient and/or poor quality sleep among
adolescents. In general, adolescents prefer to retire and rise late, especially when their melatonin
release is delayed during puberty.3 This preference is reflected by later bedtimes and longer sleep
durations on holidays or weekends.4–8 However, current high school schedules are not favorable
for adolescents in many school districts within the United States. For example, one study showed
that the average adolescent’s school night bedtime is 22:33 and rise time is 06:06. During
weekends, the bedtime and rise time are delayed until 00:25 and 09:32, respectively,8 suggesting
that the sleep/wake schedule during school days was adjusted to school demands, rather than a
more natural circadian rhythm. Many high schools start earlier than elementary schools, adding a
greater demand to align sleep/wake schedules with adolescents’ delayed circadian rhythm.
In addition to a delayed circadian rhythm, a typical adolescent requires 9 hours of sleep each
night.7,9However, this requirement is difficult for adolescents to fulfill as it has been reported that
they sleep an average of less than 8 hours during school nights.5–7 Concerns about the effects of
sleep deprivation led to studies regarding its impact on school performance. It was observed that
poor sleep quality, reduced total sleep time and excessive daytime sleepiness negatively affected
academic performance, behavior, and social competence in adolescents.1,5,7 However, it is not
known whether multiple unfavorable sleep problems are more likely to be associated with poor
school performance. In addition, it is equally unclear whether early school start times directly
contribute to sleep insufficiency. Accordingly, the first objective of this study was to assess
whether multiple indicators of poor sleep were more likely to be associated with a poorer school
performance. School performance was compared among students who had more than one sleep
problem to those with only a single problem or none. The second objective was to evaluate the
sleep patterns of students to identify sleep habits that were not associated with poor school
performance. Finally school start time was analyzed against sleep duration, quality of sleep, and
symptoms of sleep disorders for possible associations of an earlier start time and sleep
insufficiency. We hope that the results of this preliminary study increase public awareness of
sleep problems among high school students.
Method
The questionnaire

The questionnaire was developed after a review of the literature,4–9 and interviews of volunteer
high school students and teachers. The anonymous questionnaire consisted of 13 categories of
questions regarding sleep habits and schedules, symptoms of sleep disorders, school performance
and school start time. There were sub-categories or more than one question within each category.
The students were asked to complete the questions based on their typical daily schedules. Sleep
schedules, including bedtime and rise time on weekdays and weekends, were grouped for
participants to check one answer within each schedule. Morning rise time schedules were listed
as “before 6 AM”, “6:00–6:30 AM”, “6:30–7 AM”, “7–7:30 AM”, “after 7:30 AM” and “highly
irregular”. Likewise, bedtime schedules were listed as “before 10 PM”, “10–11 PM”, “11–
11:30 PM”, 11:30–12 midnight”, “after midnight”, or “highly irregular”. Other questions asked
about sleep duration in hours, the students’ own perception of their sleep adequacy, sleep
disorder symptoms such as prolonged sleep onset (longer than one hour), regular night
awakening (once or more), excessive sleepiness while in school, use of an alarm clock, and naps
after school (with a weekly frequency check list). Self-reported average academic grades (A, B,
C, D, or Fail), and school start time were also included. The questions were in a format of
multiple choice, checklist, or fill-in where students were required to self-report their answers.
Subjects
The subjects were selected from five New Jersey high school programs: one public high school
in Union county, one public high school and one vocational high school in Monmouth county,
and two extracurricular high school programs in the New Jersey Medical School in Newark. A
total of 2307 anonymous questionnaires were distributed to students in grades 9th–12th of the
participating programs during school hours while students were in class, and 2147 questionnaires
were collected.
Data analysis
Of the 2147 questionnaires collected, 206 questionnaires were excluded due to large number of
unanswered questions (more than 6 individual questions). The total number of questionnaires
included for data analysis was 1941. Results of each question were coded and imported into an
Excel spreadsheet. Quantitative results such as “duration of sleep” were categorized into groups
such as “less than 5 hours”, “5–6.5 hours”, and so forth. Blank answers were treated as missing
data for each question. The frequency of variables of each question was tallied. SAS version 8.0
was used for statistical analysis. Chi square and Fisher’s exact tests were used to determine
statistical significance of association. Odds ratios were calculated when P values reached <0.05.
Pearson’s correlation tests were performed to assess the correlation between multiple
unfavorable sleep schedules/habits and performance.
This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of The University of Medicine and
Dentistry of New Jersey—New Jersey Medical School. The informed consent process was
waived due to the anonymous nature of this study. All the participating high school programs
gave permission to conduct the survey.

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