Left Alone
He was left
alone
never knowing
his mother and father
growing up
in the overhang
of dark dreams
like so many others
not understanding
the why
of conflicts
and war after war
killing
the tree
the sea
and the sky
above babies.
Stone Flower
Almost
a stone flower
lit by sun and moon
she is
almost
unfeeling
her heart
breaking
waiting
for someone
with the touch of love.
Shock Treatment
Shock treatment
no more
wars
on earth
or beyond.
Uzbek State World Language University, Faculty of English Philology, 2nd-year student
The Role of Sleep in Academic Performance
Choriyeva Oynur
Uzbek State World Languages University, Faculty of English Philology
2nd-year Student
Abstract
This article examines the important role of sleep in academic performance. It demonstrates how adequate and quality sleep can enhance memory, improve focus and concentration, and support cognitive functions such as problem-solving and critical thinking. It also highlights that insufficient sleep can reduce memory recall, decrease attention, worsen academic performance, lower grades, and reduce productivity. The purpose of this article is to emphasize the importance of obtaining sufficient, regular, and high-quality sleep for effective studying.
Keywords: sleep, academic performance, memory, attention, cognitive functions, reading, productivity, student health, effective studying, overall quality of life
Introduction
Sleep plays a vital role in student health and academic success. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health, adequate sleep is essential for physical health, mental clarity, and overall quality of life, especially for young people. During Student Sleep Health Week, the Indian Board of Education provides resources and recommendations on the relationship between deep sleep and success.
The CDC emphasizes that sleep is crucial for memory consolidation, learning, and cognitive functioning. Students who do not get enough sleep struggle with concentration, problem-solving, and remembering information. This can negatively affect their academic results, lower their grades, and reduce productivity.
Leslie L. Crow, a licensed professional counselor and specialist in BIE’s Student Behavioral Health Program, notes that sleep significantly impacts students’ academic and athletic performance.
“Healthy sleep habits greatly affect the mental and physical health of children and adults,” Crow states. “Sleep influences our emotions, stress management, and overall well-being.”
Main Body
Sleep is essential for cognitive functions as well as overall physical and mental health. According to the CDC, insufficient sleep is associated with increased risks of obesity, diabetes, and other chronic health conditions. For students, lack of sleep can lead to reduced energy levels and greater susceptibility to illness, preventing full participation in academic and extracurricular activities.
The two most common consequences of insufficient sleep are decreased focus and impaired memory. These effects are not only harmful individually but also compound each other. Lack of focus results in incomplete information retention, which is further compounded by inadequate neural connections formed during learning.
Insufficient sleep can reduce both short-term and long-term memory. Short-term memory retains information briefly, such as remembering someone’s name upon meeting them or recalling the last few words on a fast-changing PowerPoint slide. Long-term memory involves retaining information for hours, days, months, or longer, such as remembering due dates or recalling past events. Students struggling with sleep-related stress over classes may benefit from seeking tutoring to improve mastery of the subject.
Leslie L. Crow emphasizes the importance of understanding recommended sleep durations for different age groups. According to the National Sleep Foundation, teenagers need 8 to 10 hours of sleep per night, while younger school-aged children require approximately 9 to 11 hours within 24 hours. Crow notes that many behavioral and mental health issues, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, anxiety, depression, and difficulties in emotional regulation, may be partially or entirely caused by sleep disorders.
To address these challenges, the CDC recommends maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, even on weekends, to regulate internal biological clocks. Additionally, creating a sleep-friendly environment—keeping the bedroom dark, quiet, and cool—can significantly enhance sleep quality.
Crow also provides practical tips to improve sleep:
Go to bed and wake up at approximately the same time every day.
Maintain a consistent bedtime routine.
Use the bed only for sleep.
Spend time outdoors to get sunlight and engage in physical activity.
Avoid screen time before bedtime.
Model healthy sleep habits for students.
Consult a medical professional if sleep problems persist.
By prioritizing sleep, students can improve academic performance, enhance physical and mental well-being, and establish habits that contribute to long-term success. Student Sleep Health Week serves as a vital reminder that adequate sleep is not a luxury—it is a necessity.
Conclusion
There are multiple ways to measure the relationship between sleep and academic performance. Much of the earlier research focused on sleep duration and sleep quality, with mixed results. These measures have limitations—sleep duration is usually self-reported, and sleep quality is subjective. Recently, novel measures of sleep have emerged. The timing and consistency of sleep may have the greatest impact on academic performance.
References
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352721815000157�
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1087079216000228�
South Eastern European Journal of Public Health, April 2025
Idaho State University College of Business, Business Administration, 921 South 8th Ave, Pocatello, ID 83209
—————————————————————————————-
as another soul dies
dense fog, trash night
animals plotting in the
sewer
i didn’t have a murder/suicide
right after giving birth on my
bingo card
humans, the world’s most
dangerous animal
and here i thought opposable
thumbs elevated us
it actually only made it easier
to hold and shoot a gun
watch the money during the war
someone is always getting rich
as another soul dies
a woman asked me tonight why
i don’t have any children
i laughed, told her i never had
a death wish that strong that i
needed to have someone else
do it
she’s still trying to figure
that one out
been raining for almost 24
straight hours
these are the nights on the farm
i would listen to it hit the metal
roof
and then wonder which room
will need a bucket
——————————————————————————-
in a lonesome alley
a howling wind
caught out in
a pouring rain
a homeless man
told me once
pour a tall glass
of whiskey and
saw off a shotgun
and see which
hits your lips
first
he died of cancer
in a lonesome
alley years ago
it was the
whiskey
my friend
the whiskey
————————————————————
life is a video game
somewhere in the distance
i can hear my father saying
he went to vietnam to die
of course, he grew up poor
now, a generation with the
bravery of being out of range
life is a video game
just the weapons naturally
have human consequences
the innocent always die first
almost biblical it feels
why the stupid have to start
wars in the first place is a
completely different poem
this is about the ignorance
the unwillingness to
understand culture
to want the entire world
to bend the knee to the rich
and this is where some fuck
will remind me he nearly died
for my free speech
and i will thank him for that
and then explain the hypocrisy
of him wanting to take it away
———————————————————-
a little extra cash
bent spoon daydreams
the holy ghost needs
a little extra cash
light up a cigarette
under a no smoking
sign
listen to an old black
man play the saxophone
like jazz was just beginning
thumb through the pages
of on the road like you
have already lived it
a lady asks you to step
outside
she locks the door behind
you
they take cancer seriously
around here i guess
up two blocks is an
old bookstore
place where you found
old gregory corso books
for less than a dollar
place is now a clothing
boutique
light another cigarette
time passes all of us by
at least once
—————————————————————-
that clings to you better
one of those nights
where you hope to
fuck the pain away
depravity, a long
lost soul that clings
to you better than
any invisible friend
ever did
they never tell you
if you hate yourself
long enough, you’ll
never remember to
love anyone else
this is where the
dramatic music
comes in and our
hero disappoints
all of us yet again
dying alone is a
process that takes
way longer than
it appears on
television
a tall glass of
scotch
drunken showers
at three in the
morning is my
latest trick to
steal a few
hours of sleep
old enough that
the dreams are
now just waves
and flowers
meant for
a grave
J.J. Campbell (1976 – ?) is old enough to know where the bodies are buried. The three- time Best of The Net nominee and two-time Pushcart Prize nominee lives with his disabled mother in Ohio. He’s been widely published over the years, most recently at Yellow Mama, The Rye Whiskey Review, Night Owl Narrative, Disturb the Universe Magazine and The Beatnik Cowboy. His latest book, to live your dreams, published by Whiskey City Press, is available on Amazon.com. for more info on the book, go here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/245883678-to-live-your-dreams.
Poetry Daylight
On this sunny day
filled with blue skies array,
made of ink and white clouds of paper
The words come closer,
To the gentle timepiece of words
A poem where goodness rests
And Angels blest,
In a place of golden heartbeats
In a great embrace where peace beats
Shines many colors of the rainbow.
Black birds
black birds
peck their tracks
on the white snow
Out
Yes we are dirt
We are incapable of molding ourselves anew
Honestly we don’t even know who inspired us to move
Yes we are clay
We move falling and swallowing dirt and branches
Whether we are clay or dirt, no one knows and oh Lord
It seems to me that no one has ever truly molded us
Beauty hates us
And we bloom with our bellies out(side)
The eternal rain begins
We are like candles in the hands of a praying person
The broken glass of our faces
Time and death do not exist
And our dirty bird breaks out
Of chest-cage into the clouds
Humility
1
Believe it or not
But I can disappear not without a trace but as unknown as the plague
I will swim in the bloody river of memory like Stalin
My voice will resound in all stadiums as if it were Hitler
I will explode like a star and destroy everything around
Nothing passes without a trace:
And if you think that you should start for good,
And if you already take up fighting for something:
You should know that you only multiply sorrows and discord:
Each of us is a small chest with a nuclear war inside
2
Good does not need to be fought for
My hands are overgrown with leaves
I am full of humility
Night, winter
Night, winter
Cold stubble burns;
A gash of wound
Is bitterness
And a stealthy weather,
Which unfurls marks of hope,
As winter is just another season.
Ananya S Guha
Shillong
India
HONESTY KNOWS NO NATIONALITY
Muslimbek Abdurakhimov
Computer Engineering Specialist
Annotatsiya
Mazkur hikoyada kundalik hayotda uchraydigan oddiy savdo jarayoni orqali halollik, mas’uliyat va insoniylik kabi fazilatlar yoritiladi. Muallif Rossiyada tahsil olayotgan paytida quloqchin sotib olish jarayonida yuzaga kelgan kichik muammo haqida hikoya qiladi. Sotuvchining vijdonli munosabati, xaridor oldidagi mas’uliyati va halolligi voqea orqali ta’sirchan tarzda ochib beriladi. Asar insoniy qadriyatlarning millat va hudud tanlamasligini ko‘rsatadi.
Kalit so‘zlar: halollik, savdo madaniyati, mas’uliyat, insoniylik, sotuvchi va xaridor munosabati, ishonch.
Аннотация В данном рассказе через простой случай из повседневной жизни раскрываются такие человеческие качества, как честность, ответственность и порядочность. Автор описывает ситуацию, произошедшую во время покупки наушников в период обучения в России. Несмотря на возникшую небольшую неисправность товара, продавец проявляет честность и ответственность перед покупателем. Рассказ показывает, что такие человеческие ценности, как честность и добросовестность, не зависят от национальности и границ.Ключевые слова: честность, культура торговли, ответственность, человечность, отношения продавца и покупателя, доверие.
Annotation This story highlights values such as honesty, responsibility, and humanity through a simple situation from everyday life. The author describes an incident that occurred while purchasing headphones during his studies in Russia. Despite a minor defect in the product, the seller demonstrates honesty and responsibility toward the customer. The story emphasizes that human values such as honesty and integrity go beyond nationality and borders.
Keywords: honesty, trade culture, responsibility, humanity, seller–customer relations, trust.
Story
I study in Russia. Recently, I bought a pair of headphones. Since the distance was quite far, I asked the seller to deliver them to the place where I live (my rented apartment). He agreed and brought the headphones. I received the product, but the delivery person did not give me even 15 minutes to check it. Therefore, I had to test the headphones later. After he left, I tried them. Unfortunately, the volume control buttons did not work, although the rest of the headphones worked perfectly. I thought, “Never mind,” and decided not to tell the seller about it. After some time, unexpectedly, the seller himself contacted me on Telegram. He asked how the headphones were working. At that moment, I told him the truth — that the volume control buttons were not functioning.
The seller immediately called me and sincerely apologized. He then refunded the full price of the headphones. What surprised me the most was that he also told me to keep the headphones as a gift. Although I am still young, I have visited several countries. In those places, I have also faced various problems while shopping. In many cases, sellers would turn off their phones or simply ignore messages.
This incident proved something to me once again: honesty and conscience do not depend on nationality. Once again, I was impressed by the honesty of the Russian people.
About the Author
Muslimbek Abdukarimov is a computer engineering specialist with a higher education. He works in the field of modern technology. His writings reflect real-life events, human values, and meaningful situations from everyday life.