A territory-wide survey conducted by the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, found that out of the 579 respondents, students from Primary Three to Secondary Seven, 53.6 per cent said that they had not had enough sleep in the past three months.  This represented 310 of the total.   Preparing for exams and doing homework were the two main causes.  A higher percentage was recorded among those who were sitting for the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination (HKCEE) this year.  Of the 310 respondents, around 60 per cent were of the view that they would sacrifice sleep for revision.  All this suggests that "exams" and "homework" have adversely affected students' resting time. 

 As high as 80 per cent of the Fifth-form students complained that they had not had enough sleep in the past three months.   Just over a third of them even revealed that they usually went to bed after 1:00 am.   Overall, they just had an average of 6.8 hours a night of sleep, compared with 7.7 hours for those not sitting for the HKCEE.

The survey noted that the higher level of education the respondents were, the higher proportion of sleep depravation.  Despite of not getting enough sleep, the survey noted that respondents seem not be aware of the potential effects brought about by inadequate sleep patterns.  While 40 per cent of respondents who did not have enough sleep were of the view that less sleep causes no harm to youngsters, a massive of 90 per cent of the group admitted feeling tired in the daytime.  Another 70 per cent to 80 per cent confessed that they had difficulty keeping concentration in class or had fallen asleep.  Over a quarter revealed that they had been late for school due to inadequate sleep.

 Even worse, a sizeable portion of respondents seem not to be aware of the importance of getting enough sleep, with one-third of the respondents who did not have enough sleep willing to sacrifice bedtime to enjoy the tranquillity of night, while one-fourth willing to sleep less in order to go outside and play.   Respondents of a higher level of education were more likely to subscribe to the two views.   Some 20 per cent of them had consumed coffee, tea or supplementary food or drinks to keep themselves stay awake. 

 This telephone survey was conducted from 23 to 25 April 2001.  A total of 579 students from Primary Three to Secondary Seven were successfully interviewed. 

        Mr. Andy Ho, the federation's education services supervisor, said that the federation had started a hotline service for exam candidates last month, and so far about 200 calls were received.  He went on to say: "Students usually face intense pressure when they have to prepare for examinations.  They are inclined to sacrifice sleep for revision".   Mr. Ho reminded students to take enough sleep during the exams season in order to perform at an optimal level. 

         

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