share this!

August 16, 2021

Is it time to get rid of homework? Mental health experts weigh in

by Sara M Moniuszko

homework

It's no secret that kids hate homework. And as students grapple with an ongoing pandemic that has had a wide-range of mental health impacts, is it time schools start listening to their pleas over workloads?

Some teachers are turning to social media to take a stand against homework .

Tiktok user @misguided.teacher says he doesn't assign it because the "whole premise of homework is flawed."

For starters, he says he can't grade work on "even playing fields" when students' home environments can be vastly different.

"Even students who go home to a peaceful house, do they really want to spend their time on busy work? Because typically that's what a lot of homework is, it's busy work," he says in the video that has garnered 1.6 million likes. "You only get one year to be 7, you only got one year to be 10, you only get one year to be 16, 18."

Mental health experts agree heavy work loads have the potential do more harm than good for students, especially when taking into account the impacts of the pandemic. But they also say the answer may not be to eliminate homework altogether.

Emmy Kang, mental health counselor at Humantold, says studies have shown heavy workloads can be "detrimental" for students and cause a "big impact on their mental, physical and emotional health."

"More than half of students say that homework is their primary source of stress, and we know what stress can do on our bodies," she says, adding that staying up late to finish assignments also leads to disrupted sleep and exhaustion.

Cynthia Catchings, a licensed clinical social worker and therapist at Talkspace, says heavy workloads can also cause serious mental health problems in the long run, like anxiety and depression.

And for all the distress homework causes, it's not as useful as many may think, says Dr. Nicholas Kardaras, a psychologist and CEO of Omega Recovery treatment center.

"The research shows that there's really limited benefit of homework for elementary age students, that really the school work should be contained in the classroom," he says.

For older students, Kang says homework benefits plateau at about two hours per night.

"Most students, especially at these high-achieving schools, they're doing a minimum of three hours, and it's taking away time from their friends from their families, their extracurricular activities. And these are all very important things for a person's mental and emotional health."

Catchings, who also taught third to 12th graders for 12 years, says she's seen the positive effects of a no homework policy while working with students abroad.

"Not having homework was something that I always admired from the French students (and) the French schools, because that was helping the students to really have the time off and really disconnect from school ," she says.

The answer may not be to eliminate homework completely, but to be more mindful of the type of work students go home with, suggests Kang, who was a high-school teacher for 10 years.

"I don't think (we) should scrap homework, I think we should scrap meaningless, purposeless busy work-type homework. That's something that needs to be scrapped entirely," she says, encouraging teachers to be thoughtful and consider the amount of time it would take for students to complete assignments.

The pandemic made the conversation around homework more crucial

Mindfulness surrounding homework is especially important in the context of the last two years. Many students will be struggling with mental health issues that were brought on or worsened by the pandemic, making heavy workloads even harder to balance.

"COVID was just a disaster in terms of the lack of structure. Everything just deteriorated," Kardaras says, pointing to an increase in cognitive issues and decrease in attention spans among students. "School acts as an anchor for a lot of children, as a stabilizing force, and that disappeared."

But even if students transition back to the structure of in-person classes, Kardaras suspects students may still struggle after two school years of shifted schedules and disrupted sleeping habits.

"We've seen adults struggling to go back to in-person work environments from remote work environments. That effect is amplified with children because children have less resources to be able to cope with those transitions than adults do," he explains.

'Get organized' ahead of back-to-school

In order to make the transition back to in-person school easier, Kang encourages students to "get good sleep, exercise regularly (and) eat a healthy diet."

To help manage workloads, she suggests students "get organized."

"There's so much mental clutter up there when you're disorganized... sitting down and planning out their study schedules can really help manage their time," she says.

Breaking assignments up can also make things easier to tackle.

"I know that heavy workloads can be stressful, but if you sit down and you break down that studying into smaller chunks, they're much more manageable."

If workloads are still too much, Kang encourages students to advocate for themselves.

"They should tell their teachers when a homework assignment just took too much time or if it was too difficult for them to do on their own," she says. "It's good to speak up and ask those questions. Respectfully, of course, because these are your teachers. But still, I think sometimes teachers themselves need this feedback from their students."

©2021 USA Today Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Explore further

Feedback to editors

can too much homework be bad

The first Europeans reached Ukraine 1.4 million years ago, new study finds

6 hours ago

can too much homework be bad

Saturday Citations: New hope for rumbly guts; 'alien' signal turns out to be terrestrial and boring. Plus: A cool video

Mar 9, 2024

can too much homework be bad

What heat can tell us about battery chemistry: Using the Peltier effect to study lithium-ion cells

can too much homework be bad

How trustworthy is your dog's DNA test?

can too much homework be bad

Harnessing the mechanisms of fungal bioluminescence to confer autonomous luminescence in plant and animal cells

Mar 8, 2024

can too much homework be bad

New study discovers how altered protein folding drives multicellular evolution

can too much homework be bad

Designing nanoparticles for pregnancy-safe treatments

can too much homework be bad

Bald eagles eat prairie dogs? Researchers underscore relationship between raptors and rodents in the Great Plains

can too much homework be bad

NASA unveils design for message heading to Jupiter's moon Europa

can too much homework be bad

Pushing the boundary on ultralow frequency gravitational waves

Relevant physicsforums posts, the new california math framework: another step backwards.

Mar 7, 2024

The changing physics curriculum in 1961

Feb 26, 2024

Rant about working in the tutoring lab: How should I deal with this?

Feb 25, 2024

Are Degree Apprenticeships a Good idea

Feb 23, 2024

Opinion: When Pro Scientists Explain Using Pop Science

Feb 15, 2024

Various Intuitions and Conceptualizations of Measurable Cardinals.

Feb 14, 2024

More from STEM Educators and Teaching

Related Stories

can too much homework be bad

Smartphones are lowering student's grades, study finds

Aug 18, 2020

can too much homework be bad

Doing homework is associated with change in students' personality

Oct 6, 2017

can too much homework be bad

Scholar suggests ways to craft more effective homework assignments

Oct 1, 2015

can too much homework be bad

Should parents help their kids with homework?

Aug 29, 2019

can too much homework be bad

How much math, science homework is too much?

Mar 23, 2015

can too much homework be bad

Anxiety, depression, burnout rising as college students prepare to return to campus

Jul 26, 2021

Recommended for you

can too much homework be bad

Research unveils effective STEM program models for high school students from historically marginalized communities

can too much homework be bad

Doing more but learning less: Addressing the risks of AI in research

can too much homework be bad

How to build your own robot friend: Making AI education more accessible

can too much homework be bad

Study reveals racial disparities in school enrollment during COVID-19

can too much homework be bad

Biology textbooks do not provide students with comprehensive view of science of sex and gender, say professors

Feb 22, 2024

can too much homework be bad

Reading on screens instead of paper is a less effective way to absorb and retain information, suggests research

Feb 6, 2024

Let us know if there is a problem with our content

Use this form if you have come across a typo, inaccuracy or would like to send an edit request for the content on this page. For general inquiries, please use our contact form . For general feedback, use the public comments section below (please adhere to guidelines ).

Please select the most appropriate category to facilitate processing of your request

Thank you for taking time to provide your feedback to the editors.

Your feedback is important to us. However, we do not guarantee individual replies due to the high volume of messages.

E-mail the story

Your email address is used only to let the recipient know who sent the email. Neither your address nor the recipient's address will be used for any other purpose. The information you enter will appear in your e-mail message and is not retained by Phys.org in any form.

Newsletter sign up

Get weekly and/or daily updates delivered to your inbox. You can unsubscribe at any time and we'll never share your details to third parties.

More information Privacy policy

Donate and enjoy an ad-free experience

We keep our content available to everyone. Consider supporting Science X's mission by getting a premium account.

E-mail newsletter

  • Future Students
  • Current Students
  • Faculty/Staff

Stanford Graduate School of Education

News and Media

  • News & Media Home
  • Research Stories
  • School's In
  • In the Media

You are here

More than two hours of homework may be counterproductive, research suggests.

Education scholar Denise Pope has found that too much homework has negative impacts on student well-being and behavioral engagement (Shutterstock)

A Stanford education researcher found that too much homework can negatively affect kids, especially their lives away from school, where family, friends and activities matter.   "Our findings on the effects of homework challenge the traditional assumption that homework is inherently good," wrote Denise Pope , a senior lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Education and a co-author of a study published in the Journal of Experimental Education .   The researchers used survey data to examine perceptions about homework, student well-being and behavioral engagement in a sample of 4,317 students from 10 high-performing high schools in upper-middle-class California communities. Along with the survey data, Pope and her colleagues used open-ended answers to explore the students' views on homework.   Median household income exceeded $90,000 in these communities, and 93 percent of the students went on to college, either two-year or four-year.   Students in these schools average about 3.1 hours of homework each night.   "The findings address how current homework practices in privileged, high-performing schools sustain students' advantage in competitive climates yet hinder learning, full engagement and well-being," Pope wrote.   Pope and her colleagues found that too much homework can diminish its effectiveness and even be counterproductive. They cite prior research indicating that homework benefits plateau at about two hours per night, and that 90 minutes to two and a half hours is optimal for high school.   Their study found that too much homework is associated with:   • Greater stress : 56 percent of the students considered homework a primary source of stress, according to the survey data. Forty-three percent viewed tests as a primary stressor, while 33 percent put the pressure to get good grades in that category. Less than 1 percent of the students said homework was not a stressor.   • Reductions in health : In their open-ended answers, many students said their homework load led to sleep deprivation and other health problems. The researchers asked students whether they experienced health issues such as headaches, exhaustion, sleep deprivation, weight loss and stomach problems.   • Less time for friends, family and extracurricular pursuits : Both the survey data and student responses indicate that spending too much time on homework meant that students were "not meeting their developmental needs or cultivating other critical life skills," according to the researchers. Students were more likely to drop activities, not see friends or family, and not pursue hobbies they enjoy.   A balancing act   The results offer empirical evidence that many students struggle to find balance between homework, extracurricular activities and social time, the researchers said. Many students felt forced or obligated to choose homework over developing other talents or skills.   Also, there was no relationship between the time spent on homework and how much the student enjoyed it. The research quoted students as saying they often do homework they see as "pointless" or "mindless" in order to keep their grades up.   "This kind of busy work, by its very nature, discourages learning and instead promotes doing homework simply to get points," said Pope, who is also a co-founder of Challenge Success , a nonprofit organization affiliated with the GSE that conducts research and works with schools and parents to improve students' educational experiences..   Pope said the research calls into question the value of assigning large amounts of homework in high-performing schools. Homework should not be simply assigned as a routine practice, she said.   "Rather, any homework assigned should have a purpose and benefit, and it should be designed to cultivate learning and development," wrote Pope.   High-performing paradox   In places where students attend high-performing schools, too much homework can reduce their time to foster skills in the area of personal responsibility, the researchers concluded. "Young people are spending more time alone," they wrote, "which means less time for family and fewer opportunities to engage in their communities."   Student perspectives   The researchers say that while their open-ended or "self-reporting" methodology to gauge student concerns about homework may have limitations – some might regard it as an opportunity for "typical adolescent complaining" – it was important to learn firsthand what the students believe.   The paper was co-authored by Mollie Galloway from Lewis and Clark College and Jerusha Conner from Villanova University.

Clifton B. Parker is a writer at the Stanford News Service .

More Stories

Students in a classroom taking a test

⟵ Go to all Research Stories

Get the Educator

Subscribe to our monthly newsletter.

Stanford Graduate School of Education

482 Galvez Mall Stanford, CA 94305-3096 Tel: (650) 723-2109

Improving lives through learning

  • Contact Admissions
  • GSE Leadership
  • Site Feedback
  • Web Accessibility
  • Career Resources
  • Faculty Open Positions
  • Explore Courses
  • Academic Calendar
  • Office of the Registrar
  • Cubberley Library
  • StanfordWho
  • StanfordYou

Make a gift now

  • Stanford Home
  • Maps & Directions
  • Search Stanford
  • Emergency Info
  • Terms of Use
  • Non-Discrimination
  • Accessibility

© Stanford University , Stanford , California 94305 .

Stanford University

Search form

  • Find Stories
  • For Journalists

Stanford research shows pitfalls of homework

A Stanford researcher found that students in high-achieving communities who spend too much time on homework experience more stress, physical health problems, a lack of balance and even alienation from society. More than two hours of homework a night may be counterproductive, according to the study.

Denise Pope

Education scholar Denise Pope has found that too much homework has negative effects on student well-being and behavioral engagement. (Image credit: L.A. Cicero)

A Stanford researcher found that too much homework can negatively affect kids, especially their lives away from school, where family, friends and activities matter.

“Our findings on the effects of homework challenge the traditional assumption that homework is inherently good,” wrote Denise Pope , a senior lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Education and a co-author of a study published in the Journal of Experimental Education .

The researchers used survey data to examine perceptions about homework, student well-being and behavioral engagement in a sample of 4,317 students from 10 high-performing high schools in upper-middle-class California communities. Along with the survey data, Pope and her colleagues used open-ended answers to explore the students’ views on homework.

Median household income exceeded $90,000 in these communities, and 93 percent of the students went on to college, either two-year or four-year.

Students in these schools average about 3.1 hours of homework each night.

“The findings address how current homework practices in privileged, high-performing schools sustain students’ advantage in competitive climates yet hinder learning, full engagement and well-being,” Pope wrote.

Pope and her colleagues found that too much homework can diminish its effectiveness and even be counterproductive. They cite prior research indicating that homework benefits plateau at about two hours per night, and that 90 minutes to two and a half hours is optimal for high school.

Their study found that too much homework is associated with:

• Greater stress: 56 percent of the students considered homework a primary source of stress, according to the survey data. Forty-three percent viewed tests as a primary stressor, while 33 percent put the pressure to get good grades in that category. Less than 1 percent of the students said homework was not a stressor.

• Reductions in health: In their open-ended answers, many students said their homework load led to sleep deprivation and other health problems. The researchers asked students whether they experienced health issues such as headaches, exhaustion, sleep deprivation, weight loss and stomach problems.

• Less time for friends, family and extracurricular pursuits: Both the survey data and student responses indicate that spending too much time on homework meant that students were “not meeting their developmental needs or cultivating other critical life skills,” according to the researchers. Students were more likely to drop activities, not see friends or family, and not pursue hobbies they enjoy.

A balancing act

The results offer empirical evidence that many students struggle to find balance between homework, extracurricular activities and social time, the researchers said. Many students felt forced or obligated to choose homework over developing other talents or skills.

Also, there was no relationship between the time spent on homework and how much the student enjoyed it. The research quoted students as saying they often do homework they see as “pointless” or “mindless” in order to keep their grades up.

“This kind of busy work, by its very nature, discourages learning and instead promotes doing homework simply to get points,” Pope said.

She said the research calls into question the value of assigning large amounts of homework in high-performing schools. Homework should not be simply assigned as a routine practice, she said.

“Rather, any homework assigned should have a purpose and benefit, and it should be designed to cultivate learning and development,” wrote Pope.

High-performing paradox

In places where students attend high-performing schools, too much homework can reduce their time to foster skills in the area of personal responsibility, the researchers concluded. “Young people are spending more time alone,” they wrote, “which means less time for family and fewer opportunities to engage in their communities.”

Student perspectives

The researchers say that while their open-ended or “self-reporting” methodology to gauge student concerns about homework may have limitations – some might regard it as an opportunity for “typical adolescent complaining” – it was important to learn firsthand what the students believe.

The paper was co-authored by Mollie Galloway from Lewis and Clark College and Jerusha Conner from Villanova University.

Is it time to get rid of homework? Mental health experts weigh in.

can too much homework be bad

It's no secret that kids hate homework. And as students grapple with an ongoing pandemic that has had a wide range of mental health impacts, is it time schools start listening to their pleas about workloads?

Some teachers are turning to social media to take a stand against homework. 

Tiktok user @misguided.teacher says he doesn't assign it because the "whole premise of homework is flawed."

For starters, he says, he can't grade work on "even playing fields" when students' home environments can be vastly different.

"Even students who go home to a peaceful house, do they really want to spend their time on busy work? Because typically that's what a lot of homework is, it's busy work," he says in the video that has garnered 1.6 million likes. "You only get one year to be 7, you only got one year to be 10, you only get one year to be 16, 18."

Mental health experts agree heavy workloads have the potential do more harm than good for students, especially when taking into account the impacts of the pandemic. But they also say the answer may not be to eliminate homework altogether.

Emmy Kang, mental health counselor at Humantold , says studies have shown heavy workloads can be "detrimental" for students and cause a "big impact on their mental, physical and emotional health."

"More than half of students say that homework is their primary source of stress, and we know what stress can do on our bodies," she says, adding that staying up late to finish assignments also leads to disrupted sleep and exhaustion.

Cynthia Catchings, a licensed clinical social worker and therapist at Talkspace , says heavy workloads can also cause serious mental health problems in the long run, like anxiety and depression. 

And for all the distress homework  can cause, it's not as useful as many may think, says Dr. Nicholas Kardaras, a psychologist and CEO of Omega Recovery treatment center.

"The research shows that there's really limited benefit of homework for elementary age students, that really the school work should be contained in the classroom," he says.

For older students, Kang says, homework benefits plateau at about two hours per night. 

"Most students, especially at these high achieving schools, they're doing a minimum of three hours, and it's taking away time from their friends, from their families, their extracurricular activities. And these are all very important things for a person's mental and emotional health."

Catchings, who also taught third to 12th graders for 12 years, says she's seen the positive effects of a no-homework policy while working with students abroad.

"Not having homework was something that I always admired from the French students (and) the French schools, because that was helping the students to really have the time off and really disconnect from school," she says.

The answer may not be to eliminate homework completely but to be more mindful of the type of work students take home, suggests Kang, who was a high school teacher for 10 years.

"I don't think (we) should scrap homework; I think we should scrap meaningless, purposeless busy work-type homework. That's something that needs to be scrapped entirely," she says, encouraging teachers to be thoughtful and consider the amount of time it would take for students to complete assignments.

The pandemic made the conversation around homework more crucial 

Mindfulness surrounding homework is especially important in the context of the past two years. Many students will be struggling with mental health issues that were brought on or worsened by the pandemic , making heavy workloads even harder to balance.

"COVID was just a disaster in terms of the lack of structure. Everything just deteriorated," Kardaras says, pointing to an increase in cognitive issues and decrease in attention spans among students. "School acts as an anchor for a lot of children, as a stabilizing force, and that disappeared."

But even if students transition back to the structure of in-person classes, Kardaras suspects students may still struggle after two school years of shifted schedules and disrupted sleeping habits.

"We've seen adults struggling to go back to in-person work environments from remote work environments. That effect is amplified with children because children have less resources to be able to cope with those transitions than adults do," he explains.

'Get organized' ahead of back-to-school

In order to make the transition back to in-person school easier, Kang encourages students to "get good sleep, exercise regularly (and) eat a healthy diet."

To help manage workloads, she suggests students "get organized."

"There's so much mental clutter up there when you're disorganized. ... Sitting down and planning out their study schedules can really help manage their time," she says.

Breaking up assignments can also make things easier to tackle.

"I know that heavy workloads can be stressful, but if you sit down and you break down that studying into smaller chunks, they're much more manageable."

If workloads are still too much, Kang encourages students to advocate for themselves.

"They should tell their teachers when a homework assignment just took too much time or if it was too difficult for them to do on their own," she says. "It's good to speak up and ask those questions. Respectfully, of course, because these are your teachers. But still, I think sometimes teachers themselves need this feedback from their students."

More: Some teachers let their students sleep in class. Here's what mental health experts say.

More: Some parents are slipping young kids in for the COVID-19 vaccine, but doctors discourage the move as 'risky'

How Much Homework Is Too Much for Our Teens?

Here's what educators and parents can do to help kids find the right balance between school and home.

Does Your Teen Have Too Much Homework?

Today’s teens are under a lot of pressure.

They're under pressure to succeed, to win, to be the best and to get into the top colleges. With so much pressure, is it any wonder today’s youth report being under as much stress as their parents? In fact, during the school year, teens say they experience stress levels higher than those reported by adults, according to a previous American Psychological Association "Stress in America" survey.

Odds are if you ask a teen what's got them so worked up, the subject of school will come up. School can cause a lot of stress, which can lead to other serious problems, like sleep deprivation . According to the National Sleep Foundation, teens need between eight and 10 hours of sleep each night, but only 15 percent are even getting close to that amount. During the school week, most teens only get about six hours of zzz’s a night, and some of that sleep deficit may be attributed to homework.

When it comes to school, many adults would rather not trade places with a teen. Think about it. They get up at the crack of dawn and get on the bus when it’s pitch dark outside. They put in a full day sitting in hours of classes (sometimes four to seven different classes daily), only to get more work dumped on them to do at home. To top it off, many kids have after-school obligations, such as extracurricular activities including clubs and sports , and some have to work. After a long day, they finally get home to do even more work – schoolwork.

[Read: What Parents Should Know About Teen Depression .]

Homework is not only a source of stress for students, but it can also be a hassle for parents. If you are the parent of a kid who strives to be “perfect," then you know all too well how much time your child spends making sure every bit of homework is complete, even if it means pulling an all-nighter. On the flip side, if you’re the parent of a child who decided that school ends when the last bell rings, then you know how exhausting that homework tug-of-war can be. And heaven forbid if you’re that parent who is at their wit's end because your child excels on tests and quizzes but fails to turn in assignments. The woes of academics can go well beyond the confines of the school building and right into the home.

This is the time of year when many students and parents feel the burden of the academic load. Following spring break, many schools across the nation head into the final stretch of the year. As a result, some teachers increase the amount of homework they give. The assignments aren’t punishment, although to students and parents who are having to constantly stay on top of their kids' schoolwork, they can sure seem that way.

From a teacher’s perspective, the assignments are meant to help students better understand the course content and prepare for upcoming exams. Some schools have state-mandated end of grade or final tests. In those states these tests can account for 20 percent of a student’s final grade. So teachers want to make sure that they cover the entire curriculum before that exam. Aside from state-mandated tests, some high school students are enrolled in advanced placement or international baccalaureate college-level courses that have final tests given a month or more before the end of the term. In order to cover all of the content, teachers must maintain an accelerated pace. All of this means more out of class assignments.

Given the challenges kids face, there are a few questions parents and educators should consider:

Is homework necessary?

Many teens may give a quick "no" to this question, but the verdict is still out. Research supports both sides of the argument. Personally, I would say, yes, some homework is necessary, but it must be purposeful. If it’s busy work, then it’s a waste of time. Homework should be a supplemental teaching tool. Too often, some youth go home completely lost as they haven’t grasped concepts covered in class and they may become frustrated and overwhelmed.

For a parent who has been in this situation, you know how frustrating this can be, especially if it’s a subject that you haven’t encountered in a while. Homework can serve a purpose such as improving grades, increasing test scores and instilling a good work ethic. Purposeful homework can come in the form of individualizing assignments based on students’ needs or helping students practice newly acquired skills.

Homework should not be used to extend class time to cover more material. If your child is constantly coming home having to learn the material before doing the assignments, then it’s time to contact the teacher and set up a conference. Listen when kids express their concerns (like if they say they're expected to know concepts not taught in class) as they will provide clues about what’s happening or not happening in the classroom. Plus, getting to the root of the problem can help with keeping the peace at home too, as an irritable and grumpy teen can disrupt harmonious family dynamics .

[Read: What Makes Teens 'Most Likely to Succeed?' ]

How much is too much?

According to the National PTA and the National Education Association, students should only be doing about 10 minutes of homework per night per grade level. But teens are doing a lot more than that, according to a poll of high school students by the organization Statistic Brain . In that poll teens reported spending, on average, more than three hours on homework each school night, with 11th graders spending more time on homework than any other grade level. By contrast, some polls have shown that U.S. high school students report doing about seven hours of homework per week.

Much of a student's workload boils down to the courses they take (such as advanced or college prep classes), the teaching philosophy of educators and the student’s commitment to doing the work. Regardless, research has shown that doing more than two hours of homework per night does not benefit high school students. Having lots of homework to do every day makes it difficult for teens to have any downtime , let alone family time .

How do we respond to students' needs?

As an educator and parent, I can honestly say that oftentimes there is a mismatch in what teachers perceive as only taking 15 minutes and what really takes 45 minutes to complete. If you too find this to be the case, then reach out to your child's teacher and find out why the assignments are taking longer than anticipated for your child to complete.

Also, ask the teacher about whether faculty communicate regularly with one another about large upcoming assignments. Whether it’s setting up a shared school-wide assignment calendar or collaborating across curriculums during faculty meetings, educators need to discuss upcoming tests and projects, so students don’t end up with lots of assignments all competing for their attention and time at once. Inevitably, a student is going to get slammed occasionally, but if they have good rapport with their teachers, they will feel comfortable enough to reach out and see if alternative options are available. And as a parent, you can encourage your kid to have that dialogue with the teacher.

Often teens would rather blend into the class than stand out. That’s unfortunate because research has shown time and time again that positive teacher-student relationships are strong predictors of student engagement and achievement. By and large, most teachers appreciate students advocating for themselves and will go the extra mile to help them out.

Can there be a balance between home and school?

Students can strike a balance between school and home, but parents will have to help them find it. They need your guidance to learn how to better manage their time, get organized and prioritize tasks, which are all important life skills. Equally important is developing good study habits. Some students may need tutoring or coaching to help them learn new material or how to take notes and study. Also, don’t forget the importance of parent-teacher communication. Most educators want nothing more than for their students to succeed in their courses.

Learning should be fun, not mundane and cumbersome. Homework should only be given if its purposeful and in moderation. Equally important to homework is engaging in activities, socializing with friends and spending time with the family.

[See: 10 Concerns Parents Have About Their Kids' Health .]

Most adults don’t work a full-time job and then go home and do three more hours of work, and neither should your child. It's not easy learning to balance everything, especially if you're a teen. If your child is spending several hours on homework each night, don't hesitate to reach out to teachers and, if need be, school officials. Collectively, we can all work together to help our children de-stress and find the right balance between school and home.

12 Questions You Should Ask Your Kids at Dinner

Happy family eating dinner together

Tags: parenting , family , family health , teens , education , high school , stress

Most Popular

can too much homework be bad

Senior Care

can too much homework be bad

health disclaimer »

Disclaimer and a note about your health ».

can too much homework be bad

Your Health

A guide to nutrition and wellness from the health team at U.S. News & World Report.

You May Also Like

Moderating pandemic news consumption.

Victor G. Carrion, M.D. June 8, 2020

can too much homework be bad

Helping Young People Gain Resilience

Nancy Willard May 18, 2020

can too much homework be bad

Keep Kids on Track With Reading During the Pandemic

Ashley Johnson and Tom Dillon May 14, 2020

can too much homework be bad

Pandemic and Summer Education

Nancy Willard May 12, 2020

can too much homework be bad

Trauma and Childhood Regression

Dr. Gail Saltz May 8, 2020

can too much homework be bad

The Sandwich Generation and the Pandemic

Laurie Wolk May 6, 2020

can too much homework be bad

Adapting to an Evolving Pandemic

Laurie Wolk May 1, 2020

can too much homework be bad

Picky Eating During Quarantine

Jill Castle May 1, 2020

can too much homework be bad

Baby Care During the Pandemic

Dr. Natasha Burgert April 29, 2020

can too much homework be bad

Co-Parenting During the Pandemic

Ron Deal April 24, 2020

can too much homework be bad

Do our kids have too much homework?

by: Marian Wilde | Updated: January 31, 2024

Print article

Are kids getting too much homework?

Many students and their parents are frazzled by the amount of homework being piled on in the schools. Yet many researchers say that American students have just the right amount of homework.

“Kids today are overwhelmed!” a parent recently wrote in an email to GreatSchools.org “My first-grade son was required to research a significant person from history and write a paper of at least two pages about the person, with a bibliography. How can he be expected to do that by himself? He just started to learn to read and write a couple of months ago. Schools are pushing too hard and expecting too much from kids.”

Diane Garfield, a fifth grade teacher in San Francisco, concurs. “I believe that we’re stressing children out,” she says.

But hold on, it’s not just the kids who are stressed out . “Teachers nowadays assign these almost college-level projects with requirements that make my mouth fall open with disbelief,” says another frustrated parent. “It’s not just the kids who suffer!”

“How many people take home an average of two hours or more of work that must be completed for the next day?” asks Tonya Noonan Herring, a New Mexico mother of three, an attorney and a former high school English teacher. “Most of us, even attorneys, do not do this. Bottom line: students have too much homework and most of it is not productive or necessary.”

Research about homework

How do educational researchers weigh in on the issue? According to Brian Gill, a senior social scientist at the Rand Corporation, there is no evidence that kids are doing more homework than they did before.

“If you look at high school kids in the late ’90s, they’re not doing substantially more homework than kids did in the ’80s, ’70s, ’60s or the ’40s,” he says. “In fact, the trends through most of this time period are pretty flat. And most high school students in this country don’t do a lot of homework. The median appears to be about four hours a week.”

Education researchers like Gill base their conclusions, in part, on data gathered by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) tests.

“It doesn’t suggest that most kids are doing a tremendous amount,” says Gill. “That’s not to say there aren’t any kids with too much homework. There surely are some. There’s enormous variation across communities. But it’s not a crisis in that it’s a very small proportion of kids who are spending an enormous amount of time on homework.”

Etta Kralovec, author of The End of Homework: How Homework Disrupts Families, Overburdens Children, and Limits Learning , disagrees, saying NAEP data is not a reliable source of information. “Students take the NAEP test and one of the questions they have to fill out is, ‘How much homework did you do last night’ Anybody who knows schools knows that teachers by and large do not give homework the night before a national assessment. It just doesn’t happen. Teachers are very clear with kids that they need to get a good night’s sleep and they need to eat well to prepare for a test.

“So asking a kid how much homework they did the night before a national test and claiming that that data tells us anything about the general run of the mill experience of kids and homework over the school year is, I think, really dishonest.”

Further muddying the waters is an AP/AOL poll that suggests that most Americans feel that their children are getting the right amount of homework. It found that 57% of parents felt that their child was assigned about the right amount of homework, 23% thought there was too little and 19% thought there was too much.

One indisputable fact

One homework fact that educators do agree upon is that the young child today is doing more homework than ever before.

“Parents are correct in saying that they didn’t get homework in the early grades and that their kids do,” says Harris Cooper, professor of psychology and director of the education program at Duke University.

Gill quantifies the change this way: “There has been some increase in homework for the kids in kindergarten, first grade, and second grade. But it’s been an increase from zero to 20 minutes a day. So that is something that’s fairly new in the last quarter century.”

The history of homework

In his research, Gill found that homework has always been controversial. “Around the turn of the 20th century, the Ladies’ Home Journal carried on a crusade against homework. They thought that kids were better off spending their time outside playing and looking at clouds. The most spectacular success this movement had was in the state of California, where in 1901 the legislature passed a law abolishing homework in grades K-8. That lasted about 15 years and then was quietly repealed. Then there was a lot of activism against homework again in the 1930s.”

The proponents of homework have remained consistent in their reasons for why homework is a beneficial practice, says Gill. “One, it extends the work in the classroom with additional time on task. Second, it develops habits of independent study. Third, it’s a form of communication between the school and the parents. It gives parents an idea of what their kids are doing in school.”

The anti-homework crowd has also been consistent in their reasons for wanting to abolish or reduce homework.

“The first one is children’s health,” says Gill. “A hundred years ago, you had medical doctors testifying that heavy loads of books were causing children’s spines to be bent.”

The more things change, the more they stay the same, it seems. There were also concerns about excessive amounts of stress .

“Although they didn’t use the term ‘stress,'” says Gill. “They worried about ‘nervous breakdowns.'”

“In the 1930s, there were lots of graduate students in education schools around the country who were doing experiments that claimed to show that homework had no academic value — that kids who got homework didn’t learn any more than kids who didn’t,” Gill continues. Also, a lot of the opposition to homework, in the first half of the 20th century, was motivated by a notion that it was a leftover from a 19th-century model of schooling, which was based on recitation, memorization and drill. Progressive educators were trying to replace that with something more creative, something more interesting to kids.”

The more-is-better movement

Garfield, the San Francisco fifth-grade teacher, says that when she started teaching 30 years ago, she didn’t give any homework. “Then parents started asking for it,” she says. “I got In junior high and high school there’s so much homework, they need to get prepared.” So I bought that one. I said, ‘OK, they need to be prepared.’ But they don’t need two hours.”

Cooper sees the trend toward more homework as symptomatic of high-achieving parents who want the best for their children. “Part of it, I think, is pressure from the parents with regard to their desire to have their kids be competitive for the best universities in the country. The communities in which homework is being piled on are generally affluent communities.”

The less-is-better campaign

Alfie Kohn, a widely-admired progressive writer on education and parenting, published a sharp rebuttal to the more-homework-is-better argument in his 2006 book The Homework Myth: Why Our Kids Get Too Much of a Bad Thing . Kohn criticized the pro-homework studies that Cooper referenced as “inconclusive… they only show an association, not a causal relationship” and he titled his first chapter “Missing Out on Their Childhoods.”

Vera Goodman’s 2020 book, Simply Too Much Homework: What Can We Do? , repeats Kohn’s scrutiny and urges parents to appeal to school and government leaders to revise homework policies. Goodman believes today’s homework load stresses out teachers, parents, and students, deprives children of unstructured time for play, hobbies, and individual pursuits, and inhibits the joy of learning.

Homework guidelines

What’s a parent to do, you ask? Fortunately, there are some sanity-saving homework guidelines.

Cooper points to “The 10-Minute Rule” formulated by the National PTA and the National Education Association, which suggests that kids should be doing about 10 minutes of homework per night per grade level. In other words, 10 minutes for first-graders, 20 for second-graders and so on.

Too much homework vs. the optimal amount

Cooper has found that the correlation between homework and achievement is generally supportive of these guidelines. “We found that for kids in elementary school there was hardly any relationship between how much homework young children did and how well they were doing in school, but in middle school the relationship is positive and increases until the kids were doing between an hour to two hours a night, which is right where the 10-minute rule says it’s going to be optimal.

“After that it didn’t go up anymore. Kids that reported doing more than two hours of homework a night in middle school weren’t doing any better in school than kids who were doing between an hour to two hours.”

Garfield has a very clear homework policy that she distributes to her parents at the beginning of each school year. “I give one subject a night. It’s what we were studying in class or preparation for the next day. It should be done within half an hour at most. I believe that children have many outside activities now and they also need to live fully as children. To have them work for six hours a day at school and then go home and work for hours at night does not seem right. It doesn’t allow them to have a childhood.”

International comparisons

How do American kids fare when compared to students in other countries? Professors Gerald LeTendre and David Baker of Pennsylvania State University conclude in their 2005 book, National Differences, Global Similarities: World Culture and the Future of Schooling, that American middle schoolers do more homework than their peers in Japan, Korea, or Taiwan, but less than their peers in Singapore and Hong Kong.

One of the surprising findings of their research was that more homework does not correlate with higher test scores. LeTendre notes: “That really flummoxes people because they say, ‘Doesn’t doing more homework mean getting better scores?’ The answer quite simply is no.”

Homework is a complicated thing

To be effective, homework must be used in a certain way, he says. “Let me give you an example. Most homework in the fourth grade in the U.S. is worksheets. Fill them out, turn them in, maybe the teacher will check them, maybe not. That is a very ineffective use of homework. An effective use of homework would be the teacher sitting down and thinking ‘Elizabeth has trouble with number placement, so I’m going to give her seven problems on number placement.’ Then the next day the teacher sits down with Elizabeth and she says, ‘Was this hard for you? Where did you have difficulty?’ Then she gives Elizabeth either more or less material. As you can imagine, that kind of homework rarely happens.”

Shotgun homework

“What typically happens is people give what we call ‘shotgun homework’: blanket drills, questions and problems from the book. On a national level that’s associated with less well-functioning school systems,” he says. “In a sense, you could sort of think of it as a sign of weaker teachers or less well-prepared teachers. Over time, we see that in elementary and middle schools more and more homework is being given, and that countries around the world are doing this in an attempt to increase their test scores, and that is basically a failing strategy.”

Quality not quantity?

“ The Case for (Quality) Homework: Why It Improves Learning, and How Parents Can Help ,” a 2019 paper written by Boston University psychologist Janine Bempechat, asks for homework that specifically helps children “confront ever-more-complex tasks” that enable them to gain resilience and embrace challenges.

Similar research from University of Ovideo in Spain titled “ Homework: Facts and Fiction 2021 ” says evidence shows that how homework is applied is more important than how much is required, and it asserts that a moderate amount of homework yields the most academic achievement. The most important aspect of quality homework assignment? The effort required and the emotions prompted by the task.

Robyn Jackson, author of How to Plan Rigorous Instruction and other media about rigor says the key to quality homework is not the time spent, but the rigor — or mental challenge — involved. ( Read more about how to evaluate your child’s homework for rigor here .)

Nightly reading as a homework replacement

Across the country, many elementary schools have replaced homework with a nightly reading requirement. There are many benefits to children reading every night , either out loud with a parent or independently: it increases their vocabulary, imagination, concentration, memory, empathy, academic ability, knowledge of different cultures and perspectives. Plus, it reduces stress, helps kids sleep, and bonds children to their cuddling parents or guardians. Twenty to 30 minutes of reading each day is generally recommended.

But, is this always possible, or even ideal?

No, it’s not.

Alfie Kohn criticizes this added assignment in his blog post, “ How To Create Nonreaders .” He cites an example from a parent (Julie King) who reports, “Our children are now expected to read 20 minutes a night, and record such on their homework sheet. What parents are discovering (surprise) is that those kids who used to sit down and read for pleasure — the kids who would get lost in a book and have to be told to put it down to eat/play/whatever — are now setting the timer… and stopping when the timer dings. … Reading has become a chore, like brushing your teeth.”

The take-away from Kohn? Don’t undermine reading for pleasure by turning it into another task burdening your child’s tired brain.

Additional resources

Books Simply Too Much Homework: What Can We do? by Vera Goodman, Trafford Publishing, 2020

The Case Against Homework: How Homework is Hurting Children and What Parents Can Do About It by Sara Bennett and Nancy Kalish, Crown Publishers, 2007

The Homework Myth: Why Our Kids Get Too Much of a Bad Thing by Alfie Kohn, Hatchett Books, 2006 The End of Homework: How Homework Disrupts Families, Overburdens Children, and Limits Learning by Etta Kralovec and John Buell, Beacon Press, 2001.

The Battle Over Homework: Common Ground for Administrators, Teachers, and Parents by Harris M. Cooper, Corwin Press, 2001.

Seven Steps to Homework Success: A Family Guide to Solving Common Homework Problems by Sydney Zentall and Sam Goldstein, Specialty Press, 1998.

Homes Nearby

Homes for rent and sale near schools

Why your neighborhood school closes for good

Why your neighborhood school closes for good – and what to do when it does

College essay

What should I write my college essay about?

What the #%@!& should I write about in my college essay?

school-recess

How longer recess fuels child development

How longer recess fuels stronger child development

GreatSchools Logo

Yes! Sign me up for updates relevant to my child's grade.

Please enter a valid email address

Thank you for signing up!

Server Issue: Please try again later. Sorry for the inconvenience

  • About the Hub
  • Announcements
  • Faculty Experts Guide
  • Subscribe to the newsletter

Explore by Topic

  • Arts+Culture
  • Politics+Society
  • Science+Technology
  • Student Life
  • University News
  • Voices+Opinion
  • About Hub at Work
  • Gazette Archive
  • Benefits+Perks
  • Health+Well-Being
  • Current Issue
  • About the Magazine
  • Past Issues
  • Support Johns Hopkins Magazine
  • Subscribe to the Magazine

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience.

A daughter sits at a desk doing homework while her mom stands beside her helping

Credit: August de Richelieu

Does homework still have value? A Johns Hopkins education expert weighs in

Joyce epstein, co-director of the center on school, family, and community partnerships, discusses why homework is essential, how to maximize its benefit to learners, and what the 'no-homework' approach gets wrong.

By Vicky Hallett

The necessity of homework has been a subject of debate since at least as far back as the 1890s, according to Joyce L. Epstein , co-director of the Center on School, Family, and Community Partnerships at Johns Hopkins University. "It's always been the case that parents, kids—and sometimes teachers, too—wonder if this is just busy work," Epstein says.

But after decades of researching how to improve schools, the professor in the Johns Hopkins School of Education remains certain that homework is essential—as long as the teachers have done their homework, too. The National Network of Partnership Schools , which she founded in 1995 to advise schools and districts on ways to improve comprehensive programs of family engagement, has developed hundreds of improved homework ideas through its Teachers Involve Parents in Schoolwork program. For an English class, a student might interview a parent on popular hairstyles from their youth and write about the differences between then and now. Or for science class, a family could identify forms of matter over the dinner table, labeling foods as liquids or solids. These innovative and interactive assignments not only reinforce concepts from the classroom but also foster creativity, spark discussions, and boost student motivation.

"We're not trying to eliminate homework procedures, but expand and enrich them," says Epstein, who is packing this research into a forthcoming book on the purposes and designs of homework. In the meantime, the Hub couldn't wait to ask her some questions:

What kind of homework training do teachers typically get?

Future teachers and administrators really have little formal training on how to design homework before they assign it. This means that most just repeat what their teachers did, or they follow textbook suggestions at the end of units. For example, future teachers are well prepared to teach reading and literacy skills at each grade level, and they continue to learn to improve their teaching of reading in ongoing in-service education. By contrast, most receive little or no training on the purposes and designs of homework in reading or other subjects. It is really important for future teachers to receive systematic training to understand that they have the power, opportunity, and obligation to design homework with a purpose.

Why do students need more interactive homework?

If homework assignments are always the same—10 math problems, six sentences with spelling words—homework can get boring and some kids just stop doing their assignments, especially in the middle and high school years. When we've asked teachers what's the best homework you've ever had or designed, invariably we hear examples of talking with a parent or grandparent or peer to share ideas. To be clear, parents should never be asked to "teach" seventh grade science or any other subject. Rather, teachers set up the homework assignments so that the student is in charge. It's always the student's homework. But a good activity can engage parents in a fun, collaborative way. Our data show that with "good" assignments, more kids finish their work, more kids interact with a family partner, and more parents say, "I learned what's happening in the curriculum." It all works around what the youngsters are learning.

Is family engagement really that important?

At Hopkins, I am part of the Center for Social Organization of Schools , a research center that studies how to improve many aspects of education to help all students do their best in school. One thing my colleagues and I realized was that we needed to look deeply into family and community engagement. There were so few references to this topic when we started that we had to build the field of study. When children go to school, their families "attend" with them whether a teacher can "see" the parents or not. So, family engagement is ever-present in the life of a school.

My daughter's elementary school doesn't assign homework until third grade. What's your take on "no homework" policies?

There are some parents, writers, and commentators who have argued against homework, especially for very young children. They suggest that children should have time to play after school. This, of course is true, but many kindergarten kids are excited to have homework like their older siblings. If they give homework, most teachers of young children make assignments very short—often following an informal rule of 10 minutes per grade level. "No homework" does not guarantee that all students will spend their free time in productive and imaginative play.

Some researchers and critics have consistently misinterpreted research findings. They have argued that homework should be assigned only at the high school level where data point to a strong connection of doing assignments with higher student achievement . However, as we discussed, some students stop doing homework. This leads, statistically, to results showing that doing homework or spending more minutes on homework is linked to higher student achievement. If slow or struggling students are not doing their assignments, they contribute to—or cause—this "result."

Teachers need to design homework that even struggling students want to do because it is interesting. Just about all students at any age level react positively to good assignments and will tell you so.

Did COVID change how schools and parents view homework?

Within 24 hours of the day school doors closed in March 2020, just about every school and district in the country figured out that teachers had to talk to and work with students' parents. This was not the same as homeschooling—teachers were still working hard to provide daily lessons. But if a child was learning at home in the living room, parents were more aware of what they were doing in school. One of the silver linings of COVID was that teachers reported that they gained a better understanding of their students' families. We collected wonderfully creative examples of activities from members of the National Network of Partnership Schools. I'm thinking of one art activity where every child talked with a parent about something that made their family unique. Then they drew their finding on a snowflake and returned it to share in class. In math, students talked with a parent about something the family liked so much that they could represent it 100 times. Conversations about schoolwork at home was the point.

How did you create so many homework activities via the Teachers Involve Parents in Schoolwork program?

We had several projects with educators to help them design interactive assignments, not just "do the next three examples on page 38." Teachers worked in teams to create TIPS activities, and then we turned their work into a standard TIPS format in math, reading/language arts, and science for grades K-8. Any teacher can use or adapt our prototypes to match their curricula.

Overall, we know that if future teachers and practicing educators were prepared to design homework assignments to meet specific purposes—including but not limited to interactive activities—more students would benefit from the important experience of doing their homework. And more parents would, indeed, be partners in education.

Posted in Voices+Opinion

You might also like

News network.

  • Johns Hopkins Magazine
  • Get Email Updates
  • Submit an Announcement
  • Submit an Event
  • Privacy Statement
  • Accessibility

Discover JHU

  • About the University
  • Schools & Divisions
  • Academic Programs
  • Plan a Visit
  • my.JohnsHopkins.edu
  • © 2024 Johns Hopkins University . All rights reserved.
  • Office of Communications
  • 3910 Keswick Rd., Suite N2600, Baltimore, MD
  • Twitter Facebook LinkedIn YouTube Instagram

Guy Winch Ph.D.

How Much Homework Is Too Much?

Are schools assigning too much homework.

Posted October 19, 2011

Timothy, a fifth grader, spends up to thirteen hours a day hunched over a desk at school or at home, studying and doing homework. Should his parents feel proud? Now imagine, for comparison's sake, Timothy spending thirteen hours a day hunched over a sewing machine instead of a desk.

Parents have the right to complain when schools assign too much homework but they often don't know how to do so effectively.

Drowning in Homework ( an excerpt from Chapter 8 of The Squeaky Wheel )

I first met Timothy, a quiet, overweight eleven-year-old boy, when his mother brought him to therapy to discuss his slipping grades. A few minutes with Timothy were enough to confirm that his mood, self-esteem , and general happiness were slipping right along with them. Timothy attended one of the top private schools in Manhattan, an environment in which declining grades were no idle matter.

I asked about Timothy's typical day. He awoke every morning at six thirty so he could get to school by eight and arrived home around four thirty each afternoon. He then had a quick snack, followed by either a piano lesson or his math tutor, depending on the day. He had dinner at seven p.m., after which he sat down to do homework for two to three hours a night. Quickly doing the math in my head, I calculated that Timothy spent an average of thirteen hours a day hunched over a writing desk. His situation is not atypical. Spending that many hours studying is the only way Timothy can keep up and stay afloat academically.

But what if, for comparison's sake, we imagined Timothy spending thirteen hours a day hunched over a sewing machine instead of a desk. We would immediately be aghast at the inhumanity because children are horribly mistreated in such "sweatshops." Timothy is far from being mistreated, but the mountain of homework he faces daily results in a similar consequence- he too is being robbed of his childhood.

Timothy's academics leave him virtually no time to do anything he truly enjoys, such as playing video games, movies, or board games with his friends. During the week he never plays outside and never has indoor play dates or opportunities to socialize with friends. On weekends, Timothy's days are often devoted to studying for tests, working on special school projects, or arguing with his mother about studying for tests and working on special school projects.

By the fourth and fifth grade and certainly in middle school, many of our children have hours of homework, test preparation, project writing, or research to do every night, all in addition to the eight hours or more they have to spend in school. Yet study after study has shown that homework has little to do with achievement in elementary school and is only marginally related to achievement in middle school .

Play, however, is a crucial component of healthy child development . It affects children's creativity , their social skills, and even their brain development. The absence of play, physical exercise, and free-form social interaction takes a serious toll on many children. It can also have significant health implications as is evidenced by our current epidemic of childhood obesity, sleep deprivation, low self- esteem, and depression .

A far stronger predictor than homework of academic achievement for kids aged three to twelve is having regular family meals. Family meals allow parents to check in, to demonstrate caring and involvement, to provide supervision, and to offer support. The more family meals can be worked into the schedule, the better, especially for preteens. The frequency of family meals has also been shown to help with disordered eating behaviors in adolescents.

Experts in the field recommend children have no more than ten minutes of homework per day per grade level. As a fifth- grader, Timothy should have no more than fifty minutes a day of homework (instead of three times that amount). Having an extra two hours an evening to play, relax, or see a friend would constitute a huge bump in any child's quality of life.

The 1926 St. Louis Cardinals one their first of 11 World Series titles, defeating the New York Yankees. For most baseball fans, nostalgia tied to this event would be historical nostalgia - an appreciation for a distant-yet-self-referential past.

So what can we do if our child is getting too much homework?

1. Complain to the teachers and the school. Most parents are unaware that excessive homework contributes so little to their child's academic achievement.

2. Educate your child's teacher and principal about the homework research-they are often equally unaware of the facts and teachers of younger children (K-4) often make changes as a result.

3. Create allies within the system by speaking with other parents and banding together to address the issue with the school.

You might also like: Is Excessive Homework in Private Schools a Customer Service Issue?

View my short and quite personal TED talk about Psychological Health here:

Check out my new book, Emotional First Aid: Practical Strategies for Treating Failure, Rejection, Guilt and Other Evreyday Psychological Injuries (Hudson Street Press).

Click here to join my mailing list

Copyright 2011 Guy Winch

Follow me on Twitter @GuyWinch

Guy Winch Ph.D.

Guy Winch, Ph.D. , is a licensed psychologist and author of Emotional First Aid: Healing Rejection, Guilt, Failure, and Other Everyday Hurts.

  • Find a Therapist
  • Find a Treatment Center
  • Find a Psychiatrist
  • Find a Support Group
  • Find Teletherapy
  • United States
  • Brooklyn, NY
  • Chicago, IL
  • Houston, TX
  • Los Angeles, CA
  • New York, NY
  • Portland, OR
  • San Diego, CA
  • San Francisco, CA
  • Seattle, WA
  • Washington, DC
  • Asperger's
  • Bipolar Disorder
  • Chronic Pain
  • Eating Disorders
  • Passive Aggression
  • Personality
  • Goal Setting
  • Positive Psychology
  • Stopping Smoking
  • Low Sexual Desire
  • Relationships
  • Child Development
  • Therapy Center NEW
  • Diagnosis Dictionary
  • Types of Therapy

January 2024 magazine cover

Overcome burnout, your burdens, and that endless to-do list.

  • Coronavirus Disease 2019
  • Affective Forecasting
  • Neuroscience

Does Homework Really Help Students Learn?

A conversation with a Wheelock researcher, a BU student, and a fourth-grade teacher

child doing homework

“Quality homework is engaging and relevant to kids’ lives,” says Wheelock’s Janine Bempechat. “It gives them autonomy and engages them in the community and with their families. In some subjects, like math, worksheets can be very helpful. It has to do with the value of practicing over and over.” Photo by iStock/Glenn Cook Photography

Do your homework.

If only it were that simple.

Educators have debated the merits of homework since the late 19th century. In recent years, amid concerns of some parents and teachers that children are being stressed out by too much homework, things have only gotten more fraught.

“Homework is complicated,” says developmental psychologist Janine Bempechat, a Wheelock College of Education & Human Development clinical professor. The author of the essay “ The Case for (Quality) Homework—Why It Improves Learning and How Parents Can Help ” in the winter 2019 issue of Education Next , Bempechat has studied how the debate about homework is influencing teacher preparation, parent and student beliefs about learning, and school policies.

She worries especially about socioeconomically disadvantaged students from low-performing schools who, according to research by Bempechat and others, get little or no homework.

BU Today  sat down with Bempechat and Erin Bruce (Wheelock’17,’18), a new fourth-grade teacher at a suburban Boston school, and future teacher freshman Emma Ardizzone (Wheelock) to talk about what quality homework looks like, how it can help children learn, and how schools can equip teachers to design it, evaluate it, and facilitate parents’ role in it.

BU Today: Parents and educators who are against homework in elementary school say there is no research definitively linking it to academic performance for kids in the early grades. You’ve said that they’re missing the point.

Bempechat : I think teachers assign homework in elementary school as a way to help kids develop skills they’ll need when they’re older—to begin to instill a sense of responsibility and to learn planning and organizational skills. That’s what I think is the greatest value of homework—in cultivating beliefs about learning and skills associated with academic success. If we greatly reduce or eliminate homework in elementary school, we deprive kids and parents of opportunities to instill these important learning habits and skills.

We do know that beginning in late middle school, and continuing through high school, there is a strong and positive correlation between homework completion and academic success.

That’s what I think is the greatest value of homework—in cultivating beliefs about learning and skills associated with academic success.

You talk about the importance of quality homework. What is that?

Quality homework is engaging and relevant to kids’ lives. It gives them autonomy and engages them in the community and with their families. In some subjects, like math, worksheets can be very helpful. It has to do with the value of practicing over and over.

Janine Bempechat

What are your concerns about homework and low-income children?

The argument that some people make—that homework “punishes the poor” because lower-income parents may not be as well-equipped as affluent parents to help their children with homework—is very troubling to me. There are no parents who don’t care about their children’s learning. Parents don’t actually have to help with homework completion in order for kids to do well. They can help in other ways—by helping children organize a study space, providing snacks, being there as a support, helping children work in groups with siblings or friends.

Isn’t the discussion about getting rid of homework happening mostly in affluent communities?

Yes, and the stories we hear of kids being stressed out from too much homework—four or five hours of homework a night—are real. That’s problematic for physical and mental health and overall well-being. But the research shows that higher-income students get a lot more homework than lower-income kids.

Teachers may not have as high expectations for lower-income children. Schools should bear responsibility for providing supports for kids to be able to get their homework done—after-school clubs, community support, peer group support. It does kids a disservice when our expectations are lower for them.

The conversation around homework is to some extent a social class and social justice issue. If we eliminate homework for all children because affluent children have too much, we’re really doing a disservice to low-income children. They need the challenge, and every student can rise to the challenge with enough supports in place.

What did you learn by studying how education schools are preparing future teachers to handle homework?

My colleague, Margarita Jimenez-Silva, at the University of California, Davis, School of Education, and I interviewed faculty members at education schools, as well as supervising teachers, to find out how students are being prepared. And it seemed that they weren’t. There didn’t seem to be any readings on the research, or conversations on what high-quality homework is and how to design it.

Erin, what kind of training did you get in handling homework?

Bruce : I had phenomenal professors at Wheelock, but homework just didn’t come up. I did lots of student teaching. I’ve been in classrooms where the teachers didn’t assign any homework, and I’ve been in rooms where they assigned hours of homework a night. But I never even considered homework as something that was my decision. I just thought it was something I’d pull out of a book and it’d be done.

I started giving homework on the first night of school this year. My first assignment was to go home and draw a picture of the room where you do your homework. I want to know if it’s at a table and if there are chairs around it and if mom’s cooking dinner while you’re doing homework.

The second night I asked them to talk to a grown-up about how are you going to be able to get your homework done during the week. The kids really enjoyed it. There’s a running joke that I’m teaching life skills.

Friday nights, I read all my kids’ responses to me on their homework from the week and it’s wonderful. They pour their hearts out. It’s like we’re having a conversation on my couch Friday night.

It matters to know that the teacher cares about you and that what you think matters to the teacher. Homework is a vehicle to connect home and school…for parents to know teachers are welcoming to them and their families.

Bempechat : I can’t imagine that most new teachers would have the intuition Erin had in designing homework the way she did.

Ardizzone : Conversations with kids about homework, feeling you’re being listened to—that’s such a big part of wanting to do homework….I grew up in Westchester County. It was a pretty demanding school district. My junior year English teacher—I loved her—she would give us feedback, have meetings with all of us. She’d say, “If you have any questions, if you have anything you want to talk about, you can talk to me, here are my office hours.” It felt like she actually cared.

Bempechat : It matters to know that the teacher cares about you and that what you think matters to the teacher. Homework is a vehicle to connect home and school…for parents to know teachers are welcoming to them and their families.

Ardizzone : But can’t it lead to parents being overbearing and too involved in their children’s lives as students?

Bempechat : There’s good help and there’s bad help. The bad help is what you’re describing—when parents hover inappropriately, when they micromanage, when they see their children confused and struggling and tell them what to do.

Good help is when parents recognize there’s a struggle going on and instead ask informative questions: “Where do you think you went wrong?” They give hints, or pointers, rather than saying, “You missed this,” or “You didn’t read that.”

Bruce : I hope something comes of this. I hope BU or Wheelock can think of some way to make this a more pressing issue. As a first-year teacher, it was not something I even thought about on the first day of school—until a kid raised his hand and said, “Do we have homework?” It would have been wonderful if I’d had a plan from day one.

Explore Related Topics:

  • Share this story

Senior Contributing Editor

Sara Rimer

Sara Rimer A journalist for more than three decades, Sara Rimer worked at the Miami Herald , Washington Post and, for 26 years, the New York Times , where she was the New England bureau chief, and a national reporter covering education, aging, immigration, and other social justice issues. Her stories on the death penalty’s inequities were nominated for a Pulitzer Prize and cited in the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision outlawing the execution of people with intellectual disabilities. Her journalism honors include Columbia University’s Meyer Berger award for in-depth human interest reporting. She holds a BA degree in American Studies from the University of Michigan. Profile

She can be reached at [email protected] .

Comments & Discussion

Boston University moderates comments to facilitate an informed, substantive, civil conversation. Abusive, profane, self-promotional, misleading, incoherent or off-topic comments will be rejected. Moderators are staffed during regular business hours (EST) and can only accept comments written in English. Statistics or facts must include a citation or a link to the citation.

There are 81 comments on Does Homework Really Help Students Learn?

Insightful! The values about homework in elementary schools are well aligned with my intuition as a parent.

when i finish my work i do my homework and i sometimes forget what to do because i did not get enough sleep

same omg it does not help me it is stressful and if I have it in more than one class I hate it.

Same I think my parent wants to help me but, she doesn’t care if I get bad grades so I just try my best and my grades are great.

I think that last question about Good help from parents is not know to all parents, we do as our parents did or how we best think it can be done, so maybe coaching parents or giving them resources on how to help with homework would be very beneficial for the parent on how to help and for the teacher to have consistency and improve homework results, and of course for the child. I do see how homework helps reaffirm the knowledge obtained in the classroom, I also have the ability to see progress and it is a time I share with my kids

The answer to the headline question is a no-brainer – a more pressing problem is why there is a difference in how students from different cultures succeed. Perfect example is the student population at BU – why is there a majority population of Asian students and only about 3% black students at BU? In fact at some universities there are law suits by Asians to stop discrimination and quotas against admitting Asian students because the real truth is that as a group they are demonstrating better qualifications for admittance, while at the same time there are quotas and reduced requirements for black students to boost their portion of the student population because as a group they do more poorly in meeting admissions standards – and it is not about the Benjamins. The real problem is that in our PC society no one has the gazuntas to explore this issue as it may reveal that all people are not created equal after all. Or is it just environmental cultural differences??????

I get you have a concern about the issue but that is not even what the point of this article is about. If you have an issue please take this to the site we have and only post your opinion about the actual topic

This is not at all what the article is talking about.

This literally has nothing to do with the article brought up. You should really take your opinions somewhere else before you speak about something that doesn’t make sense.

we have the same name

so they have the same name what of it?

lol you tell her

totally agree

What does that have to do with homework, that is not what the article talks about AT ALL.

Yes, I think homework plays an important role in the development of student life. Through homework, students have to face challenges on a daily basis and they try to solve them quickly.I am an intense online tutor at 24x7homeworkhelp and I give homework to my students at that level in which they handle it easily.

More than two-thirds of students said they used alcohol and drugs, primarily marijuana, to cope with stress.

You know what’s funny? I got this assignment to write an argument for homework about homework and this article was really helpful and understandable, and I also agree with this article’s point of view.

I also got the same task as you! I was looking for some good resources and I found this! I really found this article useful and easy to understand, just like you! ^^

i think that homework is the best thing that a child can have on the school because it help them with their thinking and memory.

I am a child myself and i think homework is a terrific pass time because i can’t play video games during the week. It also helps me set goals.

Homework is not harmful ,but it will if there is too much

I feel like, from a minors point of view that we shouldn’t get homework. Not only is the homework stressful, but it takes us away from relaxing and being social. For example, me and my friends was supposed to hang at the mall last week but we had to postpone it since we all had some sort of work to do. Our minds shouldn’t be focused on finishing an assignment that in realty, doesn’t matter. I completely understand that we should have homework. I have to write a paper on the unimportance of homework so thanks.

homework isn’t that bad

Are you a student? if not then i don’t really think you know how much and how severe todays homework really is

i am a student and i do not enjoy homework because i practice my sport 4 out of the five days we have school for 4 hours and that’s not even counting the commute time or the fact i still have to shower and eat dinner when i get home. its draining!

i totally agree with you. these people are such boomers

why just why

they do make a really good point, i think that there should be a limit though. hours and hours of homework can be really stressful, and the extra work isn’t making a difference to our learning, but i do believe homework should be optional and extra credit. that would make it for students to not have the leaning stress of a assignment and if you have a low grade you you can catch up.

Studies show that homework improves student achievement in terms of improved grades, test results, and the likelihood to attend college. Research published in the High School Journal indicates that students who spent between 31 and 90 minutes each day on homework “scored about 40 points higher on the SAT-Mathematics subtest than their peers, who reported spending no time on homework each day, on average.” On both standardized tests and grades, students in classes that were assigned homework outperformed 69% of students who didn’t have homework. A majority of studies on homework’s impact – 64% in one meta-study and 72% in another – showed that take home assignments were effective at improving academic achievement. Research by the Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA) concluded that increased homework led to better GPAs and higher probability of college attendance for high school boys. In fact, boys who attended college did more than three hours of additional homework per week in high school.

So how are your measuring student achievement? That’s the real question. The argument that doing homework is simply a tool for teaching responsibility isn’t enough for me. We can teach responsibility in a number of ways. Also the poor argument that parents don’t need to help with homework, and that students can do it on their own, is wishful thinking at best. It completely ignores neurodiverse students. Students in poverty aren’t magically going to find a space to do homework, a friend’s or siblings to help them do it, and snacks to eat. I feel like the author of this piece has never set foot in a classroom of students.

THIS. This article is pathetic coming from a university. So intellectually dishonest, refusing to address the havoc of capitalism and poverty plays on academic success in life. How can they in one sentence use poor kids in an argument and never once address that poor children have access to damn near 0 of the resources affluent kids have? Draw me a picture and let’s talk about feelings lmao what a joke is that gonna put food in their belly so they can have the calories to burn in order to use their brain to study? What about quiet their 7 other siblings that they share a single bedroom with for hours? Is it gonna force the single mom to magically be at home and at work at the same time to cook food while you study and be there to throw an encouraging word?

Also the “parents don’t need to be a parent and be able to guide their kid at all academically they just need to exist in the next room” is wild. Its one thing if a parent straight up is not equipped but to say kids can just figured it out is…. wow coming from an educator What’s next the teacher doesn’t need to teach cause the kid can just follow the packet and figure it out?

Well then get a tutor right? Oh wait you are poor only affluent kids can afford a tutor for their hours of homework a day were they on average have none of the worries a poor child does. Does this address that poor children are more likely to also suffer abuse and mental illness? Like mentioned what about kids that can’t learn or comprehend the forced standardized way? Just let em fail? These children regularly are not in “special education”(some of those are a joke in their own and full of neglect and abuse) programs cause most aren’t even acknowledged as having disabilities or disorders.

But yes all and all those pesky poor kids just aren’t being worked hard enough lol pretty sure poor children’s existence just in childhood is more work, stress, and responsibility alone than an affluent child’s entire life cycle. Love they never once talked about the quality of education in the classroom being so bad between the poor and affluent it can qualify as segregation, just basically blamed poor people for being lazy, good job capitalism for failing us once again!

why the hell?

you should feel bad for saying this, this article can be helpful for people who has to write a essay about it

This is more of a political rant than it is about homework

I know a teacher who has told his students their homework is to find something they are interested in, pursue it and then come share what they learn. The student responses are quite compelling. One girl taught herself German so she could talk to her grandfather. One boy did a research project on Nelson Mandela because the teacher had mentioned him in class. Another boy, a both on the autism spectrum, fixed his family’s computer. The list goes on. This is fourth grade. I think students are highly motivated to learn, when we step aside and encourage them.

The whole point of homework is to give the students a chance to use the material that they have been presented with in class. If they never have the opportunity to use that information, and discover that it is actually useful, it will be in one ear and out the other. As a science teacher, it is critical that the students are challenged to use the material they have been presented with, which gives them the opportunity to actually think about it rather than regurgitate “facts”. Well designed homework forces the student to think conceptually, as opposed to regurgitation, which is never a pretty sight

Wonderful discussion. and yes, homework helps in learning and building skills in students.

not true it just causes kids to stress

Homework can be both beneficial and unuseful, if you will. There are students who are gifted in all subjects in school and ones with disabilities. Why should the students who are gifted get the lucky break, whereas the people who have disabilities suffer? The people who were born with this “gift” go through school with ease whereas people with disabilities struggle with the work given to them. I speak from experience because I am one of those students: the ones with disabilities. Homework doesn’t benefit “us”, it only tears us down and put us in an abyss of confusion and stress and hopelessness because we can’t learn as fast as others. Or we can’t handle the amount of work given whereas the gifted students go through it with ease. It just brings us down and makes us feel lost; because no mater what, it feels like we are destined to fail. It feels like we weren’t “cut out” for success.

homework does help

here is the thing though, if a child is shoved in the face with a whole ton of homework that isn’t really even considered homework it is assignments, it’s not helpful. the teacher should make homework more of a fun learning experience rather than something that is dreaded

This article was wonderful, I am going to ask my teachers about extra, or at all giving homework.

I agree. Especially when you have homework before an exam. Which is distasteful as you’ll need that time to study. It doesn’t make any sense, nor does us doing homework really matters as It’s just facts thrown at us.

Homework is too severe and is just too much for students, schools need to decrease the amount of homework. When teachers assign homework they forget that the students have other classes that give them the same amount of homework each day. Students need to work on social skills and life skills.

I disagree.

Beyond achievement, proponents of homework argue that it can have many other beneficial effects. They claim it can help students develop good study habits so they are ready to grow as their cognitive capacities mature. It can help students recognize that learning can occur at home as well as at school. Homework can foster independent learning and responsible character traits. And it can give parents an opportunity to see what’s going on at school and let them express positive attitudes toward achievement.

Homework is helpful because homework helps us by teaching us how to learn a specific topic.

As a student myself, I can say that I have almost never gotten the full 9 hours of recommended sleep time, because of homework. (Now I’m writing an essay on it in the middle of the night D=)

I am a 10 year old kid doing a report about “Is homework good or bad” for homework before i was going to do homework is bad but the sources from this site changed my mind!

Homeowkr is god for stusenrs

I agree with hunter because homework can be so stressful especially with this whole covid thing no one has time for homework and every one just wants to get back to there normal lives it is especially stressful when you go on a 2 week vaca 3 weeks into the new school year and and then less then a week after you come back from the vaca you are out for over a month because of covid and you have no way to get the assignment done and turned in

As great as homework is said to be in the is article, I feel like the viewpoint of the students was left out. Every where I go on the internet researching about this topic it almost always has interviews from teachers, professors, and the like. However isn’t that a little biased? Of course teachers are going to be for homework, they’re not the ones that have to stay up past midnight completing the homework from not just one class, but all of them. I just feel like this site is one-sided and you should include what the students of today think of spending four hours every night completing 6-8 classes worth of work.

Are we talking about homework or practice? Those are two very different things and can result in different outcomes.

Homework is a graded assignment. I do not know of research showing the benefits of graded assignments going home.

Practice; however, can be extremely beneficial, especially if there is some sort of feedback (not a grade but feedback). That feedback can come from the teacher, another student or even an automated grading program.

As a former band director, I assigned daily practice. I never once thought it would be appropriate for me to require the students to turn in a recording of their practice for me to grade. Instead, I had in-class assignments/assessments that were graded and directly related to the practice assigned.

I would really like to read articles on “homework” that truly distinguish between the two.

oof i feel bad good luck!

thank you guys for the artical because I have to finish an assingment. yes i did cite it but just thanks

thx for the article guys.

Homework is good

I think homework is helpful AND harmful. Sometimes u can’t get sleep bc of homework but it helps u practice for school too so idk.

I agree with this Article. And does anyone know when this was published. I would like to know.

It was published FEb 19, 2019.

Studies have shown that homework improved student achievement in terms of improved grades, test results, and the likelihood to attend college.

i think homework can help kids but at the same time not help kids

This article is so out of touch with majority of homes it would be laughable if it wasn’t so incredibly sad.

There is no value to homework all it does is add stress to already stressed homes. Parents or adults magically having the time or energy to shepherd kids through homework is dome sort of 1950’s fantasy.

What lala land do these teachers live in?

Homework gives noting to the kid

Homework is Bad

homework is bad.

why do kids even have homework?

Comments are closed.

Latest from Bostonia

Alum beata coloyan is boston mayor michelle wu’s “eyes and ears” in boston neighborhoods, bu alum nina yoshida nelsen (cfa’01,’03) named artistic director of boston lyric opera, my big idea: blending wildlife conservation and human welfare, a guide to black women’s health, tuesday’s snowstorm was a bust in boston. here’s why it was so hard to predict, meet the alumni couple who got engaged in warren towers—more than 12 years later, robert t. freeman’s long journey home, when arthur miller came to see what bu did with the crucible, this boston firefighter wants to help the elderly—so he’s becoming a social worker, too, opening doors: janet krause jones (com’74), cofounder of the single mom project, alum composer is up for two grammys sunday, meet brad cashew: pro wrestler and local legend fans go nuts over, bu’s most powerful women, and other forbes influencers, “yes, chef” bu alum receives emmy nod for his work on the bear, my big idea: style tips (and curated garments) for the modern petite woman, hoping for human connection in the band’s visit, opening doors: alejandro garcia-amaya (cgs’05, questrom’07), jazzman bill banfield receives president’s call to service award, when an unknown coach named rick pitino helped lift bu men’s basketball to new heights, one good deed: audry lynch (wheelock’67).

logo (1)

School Life Balance , Tips for Online Students

The Pros and Cons of Homework

The-Pros-and-Cons-Should-Students-Have-Homework

Homework is a word that most students dread hearing. After hours upon hours of sitting in class , the last thing we want is more schoolwork over our precious weekends. While it’s known to be a staple of traditional schooling, homework has also become a rather divise topic. Some feel as though homework is a necessary part of school, while others believe that the time could be better invested. Should students have homework? Have a closer look into the arguments on both sides to decide for yourself.

A college student completely swamped with homework.

Photo by  energepic.com  from  Pexels

Why should students have homework, 1. homework encourages practice.

Many people believe that one of the positive effects of homework is that it encourages the discipline of practice. While it may be time consuming and boring compared to other activities, repetition is needed to get better at skills. Homework helps make concepts more clear, and gives students more opportunities when starting their career .

2. Homework Gets Parents Involved

Homework can be something that gets parents involved in their children’s lives if the environment is a healthy one. A parent helping their child with homework makes them take part in their academic success, and allows for the parent to keep up with what the child is doing in school. It can also be a chance to connect together.

3. Homework Teaches Time Management

Homework is much more than just completing the assigned tasks. Homework can develop time management skills , forcing students to plan their time and make sure that all of their homework assignments are done on time. By learning to manage their time, students also practice their problem-solving skills and independent thinking. One of the positive effects of homework is that it forces decision making and compromises to be made.

4. Homework Opens A Bridge Of Communication

Homework creates a connection between the student, the teacher, the school, and the parents. It allows everyone to get to know each other better, and parents can see where their children are struggling. In the same sense, parents can also see where their children are excelling. Homework in turn can allow for a better, more targeted educational plan for the student.

5. Homework Allows For More Learning Time

Homework allows for more time to complete the learning process. School hours are not always enough time for students to really understand core concepts, and homework can counter the effects of time shortages, benefiting students in the long run, even if they can’t see it in the moment.

6. Homework Reduces Screen Time

Many students in North America spend far too many hours watching TV. If they weren’t in school, these numbers would likely increase even more. Although homework is usually undesired, it encourages better study habits and discourages spending time in front of the TV. Homework can be seen as another extracurricular activity, and many families already invest a lot of time and money in different clubs and lessons to fill up their children’s extra time. Just like extracurricular activities, homework can be fit into one’s schedule.

A female student who doesn’t want to do homework.

The Other Side: Why Homework Is Bad

1. homework encourages a sedentary lifestyle.

Should students have homework? Well, that depends on where you stand. There are arguments both for the advantages and the disadvantages of homework.

While classroom time is important, playground time is just as important. If children are given too much homework, they won’t have enough playtime, which can impact their social development and learning. Studies have found that those who get more play get better grades in school , as it can help them pay closer attention in the classroom.

Children are already sitting long hours in the classroom, and homework assignments only add to these hours. Sedentary lifestyles can be dangerous and can cause health problems such as obesity. Homework takes away from time that could be spent investing in physical activity.

2. Homework Isn’t Healthy In Every Home

While many people that think homes are a beneficial environment for children to learn, not all homes provide a healthy environment, and there may be very little investment from parents. Some parents do not provide any kind of support or homework help, and even if they would like to, due to personal barriers, they sometimes cannot. Homework can create friction between children and their parents, which is one of the reasons why homework is bad .

3. Homework Adds To An Already Full-Time Job

School is already a full-time job for students, as they generally spend over 6 hours each day in class. Students also often have extracurricular activities such as sports, music, or art that are just as important as their traditional courses. Adding on extra hours to all of these demands is a lot for children to manage, and prevents students from having extra time to themselves for a variety of creative endeavors. Homework prevents self discovery and having the time to learn new skills outside of the school system. This is one of the main disadvantages of homework.

4. Homework Has Not Been Proven To Provide Results

Endless surveys have found that homework creates a negative attitude towards school, and homework has not been found to be linked to a higher level of academic success.

The positive effects of homework have not been backed up enough. While homework may help some students improve in specific subjects, if they have outside help there is no real proof that homework makes for improvements.

It can be a challenge to really enforce the completion of homework, and students can still get decent grades without doing their homework. Extra school time does not necessarily mean better grades — quality must always come before quantity.

Accurate practice when it comes to homework simply isn’t reliable. Homework could even cause opposite effects if misunderstood, especially since the reliance is placed on the student and their parents — one of the major reasons as to why homework is bad. Many students would rather cheat in class to avoid doing their homework at home, and children often just copy off of each other or from what they read on the internet.

5. Homework Assignments Are Overdone

The general agreement is that students should not be given more than 10 minutes a day per grade level. What this means is that a first grader should be given a maximum of 10 minutes of homework, while a second grader receives 20 minutes, etc. Many students are given a lot more homework than the recommended amount, however.

On average, college students spend as much as 3 hours per night on homework . By giving too much homework, it can increase stress levels and lead to burn out. This in turn provides an opposite effect when it comes to academic success.

The pros and cons of homework are both valid, and it seems as though the question of ‘‘should students have homework?’ is not a simple, straightforward one. Parents and teachers often are found to be clashing heads, while the student is left in the middle without much say.

It’s important to understand all the advantages and disadvantages of homework, taking both perspectives into conversation to find a common ground. At the end of the day, everyone’s goal is the success of the student.

Related Articles

Request More Info

Fill out the form below and a member of our team will reach out right away!

" * " indicates required fields

Is Homework Necessary? Education Inequity and Its Impact on Students

can too much homework be bad

The Problem with Homework: It Highlights Inequalities

How much homework is too much homework, when does homework actually help, negative effects of homework for students, how teachers can help.

Schools are getting rid of homework from Essex, Mass., to Los Angeles, Calif. Although the no-homework trend may sound alarming, especially to parents dreaming of their child’s acceptance to Harvard, Stanford or Yale, there is mounting evidence that eliminating homework in grade school may actually have great benefits , especially with regard to educational equity.

In fact, while the push to eliminate homework may come as a surprise to many adults, the debate is not new . Parents and educators have been talking about this subject for the last century, so that the educational pendulum continues to swing back and forth between the need for homework and the need to eliminate homework.

One of the most pressing talking points around homework is how it disproportionately affects students from less affluent families. The American Psychological Association (APA) explained:

“Kids from wealthier homes are more likely to have resources such as computers, internet connections, dedicated areas to do schoolwork and parents who tend to be more educated and more available to help them with tricky assignments. Kids from disadvantaged homes are more likely to work at afterschool jobs, or to be home without supervision in the evenings while their parents work multiple jobs.”

[RELATED] How to Advance Your Career: A Guide for Educators >> 

While students growing up in more affluent areas are likely playing sports, participating in other recreational activities after school, or receiving additional tutoring, children in disadvantaged areas are more likely headed to work after school, taking care of siblings while their parents work or dealing with an unstable home life. Adding homework into the mix is one more thing to deal with — and if the student is struggling, the task of completing homework can be too much to consider at the end of an already long school day.

While all students may groan at the mention of homework, it may be more than just a nuisance for poor and disadvantaged children, instead becoming another burden to carry and contend with.

Beyond the logistical issues, homework can negatively impact physical health and stress — and once again this may be a more significant problem among economically disadvantaged youth who typically already have a higher stress level than peers from more financially stable families .

Yet, today, it is not just the disadvantaged who suffer from the stressors that homework inflicts. A 2014 CNN article, “Is Homework Making Your Child Sick?” , covered the issue of extreme pressure placed on children of the affluent. The article looked at the results of a study surveying more than 4,300 students from 10 high-performing public and private high schools in upper-middle-class California communities.

“Their findings were troubling: Research showed that excessive homework is associated with high stress levels, physical health problems and lack of balance in children’s lives; 56% of the students in the study cited homework as a primary stressor in their lives,” according to the CNN story. “That children growing up in poverty are at-risk for a number of ailments is both intuitive and well-supported by research. More difficult to believe is the growing consensus that children on the other end of the spectrum, children raised in affluence, may also be at risk.”

When it comes to health and stress it is clear that excessive homework, for children at both ends of the spectrum, can be damaging. Which begs the question, how much homework is too much?

The National Education Association and the National Parent Teacher Association recommend that students spend 10 minutes per grade level per night on homework . That means that first graders should spend 10 minutes on homework, second graders 20 minutes and so on. But a study published by The American Journal of Family Therapy found that students are getting much more than that.

While 10 minutes per day doesn’t sound like much, that quickly adds up to an hour per night by sixth grade. The National Center for Education Statistics found that high school students get an average of 6.8 hours of homework per week, a figure that is much too high according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). It is also to be noted that this figure does not take into consideration the needs of underprivileged student populations.

In a study conducted by the OECD it was found that “after around four hours of homework per week, the additional time invested in homework has a negligible impact on performance .” That means that by asking our children to put in an hour or more per day of dedicated homework time, we are not only not helping them, but — according to the aforementioned studies — we are hurting them, both physically and emotionally.

What’s more is that homework is, as the name implies, to be completed at home, after a full day of learning that is typically six to seven hours long with breaks and lunch included. However, a study by the APA on how people develop expertise found that elite musicians, scientists and athletes do their most productive work for about only four hours per day. Similarly, companies like Tower Paddle Boards are experimenting with a five-hour workday, under the assumption that people are not able to be truly productive for much longer than that. CEO Stephan Aarstol told CNBC that he believes most Americans only get about two to three hours of work done in an eight-hour day.

In the scope of world history, homework is a fairly new construct in the U.S. Students of all ages have been receiving work to complete at home for centuries, but it was educational reformer Horace Mann who first brought the concept to America from Prussia. 

Since then, homework’s popularity has ebbed and flowed in the court of public opinion. In the 1930s, it was considered child labor (as, ironically, it compromised children’s ability to do chores at home). Then, in the 1950s, implementing mandatory homework was hailed as a way to ensure America’s youth were always one step ahead of Soviet children during the Cold War. Homework was formally mandated as a tool for boosting educational quality in 1986 by the U.S. Department of Education, and has remained in common practice ever since.  

School work assigned and completed outside of school hours is not without its benefits. Numerous studies have shown that regular homework has a hand in improving student performance and connecting students to their learning. When reviewing these studies, take them with a grain of salt; there are strong arguments for both sides, and only you will know which solution is best for your students or school. 

Homework improves student achievement.

  • Source: The High School Journal, “ When is Homework Worth the Time?: Evaluating the Association between Homework and Achievement in High School Science and Math ,” 2012. 
  • Source: IZA.org, “ Does High School Homework Increase Academic Achievement? ,” 2014. **Note: Study sample comprised only high school boys. 

Homework helps reinforce classroom learning.

  • Source: “ Debunk This: People Remember 10 Percent of What They Read ,” 2015.

Homework helps students develop good study habits and life skills.

  • Sources: The Repository @ St. Cloud State, “ Types of Homework and Their Effect on Student Achievement ,” 2017; Journal of Advanced Academics, “ Developing Self-Regulation Skills: The Important Role of Homework ,” 2011.
  • Source: Journal of Advanced Academics, “ Developing Self-Regulation Skills: The Important Role of Homework ,” 2011.

Homework allows parents to be involved with their children’s learning.

  • Parents can see what their children are learning and working on in school every day. 
  • Parents can participate in their children’s learning by guiding them through homework assignments and reinforcing positive study and research habits.
  • Homework observation and participation can help parents understand their children’s academic strengths and weaknesses, and even identify possible learning difficulties.
  • Source: Phys.org, “ Sociologist Upends Notions about Parental Help with Homework ,” 2018.

While some amount of homework may help students connect to their learning and enhance their in-class performance, too much homework can have damaging effects. 

Students with too much homework have elevated stress levels. 

  • Source: USA Today, “ Is It Time to Get Rid of Homework? Mental Health Experts Weigh In ,” 2021.
  • Source: Stanford University, “ Stanford Research Shows Pitfalls of Homework ,” 2014.

Students with too much homework may be tempted to cheat. 

  • Source: The Chronicle of Higher Education, “ High-Tech Cheating Abounds, and Professors Bear Some Blame ,” 2010.
  • Source: The American Journal of Family Therapy, “ Homework and Family Stress: With Consideration of Parents’ Self Confidence, Educational Level, and Cultural Background ,” 2015.

Homework highlights digital inequity. 

  • Sources: NEAToday.org, “ The Homework Gap: The ‘Cruelest Part of the Digital Divide’ ,” 2016; CNET.com, “ The Digital Divide Has Left Millions of School Kids Behind ,” 2021.
  • Source: Investopedia, “ Digital Divide ,” 2022; International Journal of Education and Social Science, “ Getting the Homework Done: Social Class and Parents’ Relationship to Homework ,” 2015.
  • Source: World Economic Forum, “ COVID-19 exposed the digital divide. Here’s how we can close it ,” 2021.

Homework does not help younger students.

  • Source: Review of Educational Research, “ Does Homework Improve Academic Achievement? A Synthesis of Researcher, 1987-2003 ,” 2006.

To help students find the right balance and succeed, teachers and educators must start the homework conversation, both internally at their school and with parents. But in order to successfully advocate on behalf of students, teachers must be well educated on the subject, fully understanding the research and the outcomes that can be achieved by eliminating or reducing the homework burden. There is a plethora of research and writing on the subject for those interested in self-study.

For teachers looking for a more in-depth approach or for educators with a keen interest in educational equity, formal education may be the best route. If this latter option sounds appealing, there are now many reputable schools offering online master of education degree programs to help educators balance the demands of work and family life while furthering their education in the quest to help others.

YOU’RE INVITED! Watch Free Webinar on USD’s Online MEd Program >>

Be Sure To Share This Article

  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on LinkedIn

Top 11 Reasons to get Your Master of Education Degree

Free 22-page Book

can too much homework be bad

  • Master of Education

Related Posts

can too much homework be bad

Reasons Why Homework Is Bad For Students?

why homework is bad

  • Post author By admin
  • October 12, 2022

Homework is a word that most students don’t want to hear. Because, after many hours of sitting in the same class, the last thing students get is more schoolwork over their precious weekends. Well, it is known to be a traditional schooling system. Lets now 

Some feel that Homework is a necessary part of education. On the other hand, some believe that the time should be invested in extra activities. Many studies have found that most students are getting too much extra Homework and assignments that lead to many problems like stress, sleeping problems, and other problems related to health. 

Typically in high schools, students take six classes a day, which means they receive 24.5 hours of homework weekly. But this is not the main problem. The problem with the school nowadays is that it promotes stress at a very high level by giving students extra work that most of the students don’t want to do. 

There are plenty of reasons why Homework is bad for students, but in this Blog, we will look at the top 18 most crucial reasons.

Without wasting any time, let’s get started.

Table of Contents

18 Reasons Why Homework Is Bad For Students

There are many reasons why Homework is bad, but in this Blog, we will cover the top 18 reasons why Homework is bad for students. 

  • May lead to Stress Problems

No time for outside activities

Excessive homework cause depression, have no real impact on performance, homework control the student’s freedom.

  • May break student’s confidence

No real benefit

The school became a full-time job, irrelevant content, lack of social skills , waste of time, no time for family, destroy sleep cycle.

  • Excessive Homework encourages cheating 

Can lower your grades

Counterproductivity.

  • No time for daily exercise

Consume free time

May lead to stress problems..

Extra assignments given by high schools and universities to students may lead to unhealthy stress levels. If bombarded with countless work at the school and at home, students may feel anxiety and stress. I know students need to learn in the class, but they also get some time to explore other things outside the academic world. 

This is obvious if you get work after work and fail to complete that work. You will automatically get stressed, and that gets worse over time. 

According to the survey, 56 percent of the students think that Homework is the primary cause of stress. At the same time, the remaining students think that giving tests and getting good marks causes stress. Only 1 percent of the students think that Homework does not cause notable stress.

One of the main reasons Homework is bad is that you get no time to go outside and play something that will automatically boost your productivity and instantly kill stress. Doing outside activities will not only boost your productivity but also make you healthy physically as well as mentally. 

Excessive Homework may cause Depression, which then affects students mentally and physically too. According to the studies, more than 39% of the students have experienced Depression daily. The main reason is that most students want more grades rather than doing Homework. When students are unable to attain their goals, then it is really hard to maintain their health, so as a result, they get depressed. All of these issues can have a negative impact on someone’s life. 

Extra time spent on Homework does not have a real impact on performance. As a result, it’s more like you’re wasting time by doing the same thing repeatedly, which does not produce any result.

Childhood is meant to be enjoyed, but extra Homework makes it impossible. Instead of spending time on something else, students spend most of their time on Homework. As a result, Homework became the reason to control students’ freedom. 

May break students’ confidence

If you’re doing the same thing repeatedly, you don’t get any result from this. Then the probability is high that you will lose your confidence. So, to boost your confidence, students should take some breaks and then get back to work.

A decrease in academic performance is directly connected to spending more time on Homework. Homework can help you get better marks, but it usually has a low return. As a result, there is no real benefit from the Homework. 

This is the seventh reason why Homework is bad for the students. 

In Chile, most school days start from 8 a.m and end at 4 p.m or later. Every day, students spend approximately 9 hours in school, like you’re doing a full-time job. 

If the Homework has nothing to do with the topic or the subject, it should be prohibited. It is unfair to provide Homework that a student did not cover in the class and expect a better report. 

Heavy homework activities may have a terrible effect on student life. Everyone needs some time for daily routine activity and quality time with their friends and family. But teachers assign heavy Homework during weekends. Then there is no choice but for the students to complete the task rather than be more social. 

Most studies found that Homework is a waste of time that keeps people from doing things they want to do. Such as attending important events or sports. As a result, even if a student wants to attend or participate in such events, in such circumstances, students don’t have enough time due to workload. 

This is the twelfth reason why Homework is bad and should be banned. In most parts of the world, students doest have time to spend with their family members. Well, the most difficult thing for today’s parents is that they don’t spend enough time with their children. Students start working on their homework as soon as they get back home. As a result, students barely have time to talk with their parents.

Even on the weekend, students work on their extra assignments and Homework. That being said, students miss weekends that they are supposed to spend with their family members. However, without work, students have more time for family. 

In most cases, students don’t want to get up early in the morning. When you sleep for a longer period and wake up late in the morning, you would feel more relaxed and chill. But due to excessive amounts of Homework, students barely get 7 hours of sleep. As a result, Homework is the biggest concern that destroys the sleep cycle. 

This is the thirteenth reason why Homework should be banned. 

Excessive Homework encourages cheating

When students have an excessive amount of work to complete in a short period, it is really difficult for them to complete their Homework. As a result, to complete Homework in time, they copy from other students. Cheating is illegal in any school. If the teacher finds out that both assignments have relevant material, they get punished. That is why Homework is bad. 

One of the main reasons Homework is bad is that many teachers cannot provide all the important information in the class, and parents can not help children. If you spend most of the time doing homework, you don’t get time to study. As a result, it can lower your grades. 

Rather than improving education, a heavy homework load may affect the students’ performance. Students have too much stress to complete Homework every other night, which can affect the student’s performance in school. A homework load may counter your productivity skills. 

No Time For Daily Workout

This is the seventeenth reason why Homework is bad. Well, exercise has many benefits, like if you work out daily then it can improve your mental health, and remove stress. On the other hand, some aerobic exercise can even help you with Depression. Students don’t have time for daily workouts due to an excessive homework load. 

Everybody needs some free time to chill or relax, but what if you don’t have time to do anything? How do you feel? Well, the obvious answer is you feel very bad. That’s what students feel when they don’t have time to play or to spend some time with family, just because of frequently given Homework and assignments by the teachers. 

Reasons Why Homework Is Bad & Should be Banned

can too much homework be bad

Four main reasons why homework should be banned

  • It creates family stress : Some parents argue with their children about getting Homework done or being frustrated with their inability to teach children about any topic.
  • Students can do other important activities : Other activities include outdoor time, family bonding time, and other unscheduled play.
  • Doesn’t increase academic achievement : According to many studies, Homework has weak links to get better academic achievements.
  • Leads to more anxiety : It can cause more academic stress for students. 

Conclusion: Why Homework is Bad

In this blog, we have learned 18 reasons why Homework is bad. I hope you understand why Homework is bad for the student; not only do students in the same city face this problem, but it’s a worldwide cause. Students also have the freedom to do other activities and have some free time to chill and relax. 

This is the end of this Blog. I hope you like it. Also, Read: Best Homework Songs to Listen While Study

Q1. Is Homework Good or bad?

Ans. Too much of anything can harm you instead of helping you. So, if students get too much work, it can do more harm than good. Studies have shown that if a student gets less Homework, it’s good, but if it’s too much, it’s bad.

Q2. Why is too much Homework bad for mental health?

Ans. Studies conducted at Stanford University in 2013 have found that top-performing students are distracted and mostly spend more time on Homework than on improving academic skills. As a result, they experienced more stress, problems related to health, lack of social skills, and many more.

  • australia (2)
  • duolingo (13)
  • Education (257)
  • General (50)
  • How To (13)
  • IELTS (126)
  • Latest Updates (162)
  • Malta Visa (6)
  • Permanent residency (1)
  • Programming (31)
  • Scholarship (1)
  • Sponsored (4)
  • Study Abroad (187)
  • Technology (12)
  • work permit (8)

Recent Posts

Two Strategies That Could Assist You to Adapt to Change

logo HomeWorkHelper.net

  • Why Too Much Homework can be Harmful for Children?

How Much Homework Is Too Much and How Lots of Assignments Affect Students' Health?

How Much Homework Is Too Much and How Lots of Assignments Affect Students' Health?

  • How Much Homework Is Too Much and How Lots of Assignments Affect Students' Health?

Why Students Need Homework?

  • How Much Homework is Too Much? Negative Affect of Too Much Homework

How Parents May Help Children Who Have Too Much Homework?

Figure out the problem.

  • Check if Your Child is Focused on Homework

Check the Homework Corner of Your Child and Create Homework Routine

Visit a teacher if needed, how to find a balance between school and home.

Modern children are under pressure. High standards, fast-changing life, complicated relationships with schoolmates and parents make them feel anxious and depressed. If a child wants to succeed at school, he must show excellent results, complete challenging projects, lead active social life and learn a body of information. Homework is one of the most difficult assignments students have to complete at the elementary school or college. What if it is too complicated to them? How much homework is too much for kids? In this article from HW Helper , we’ll find out how too much homework may affect health and productivity, and how parents may help their kids with this task.

Homework is an essential part of education. It provides plenty of benefits and may improve students’ grades and knowledge. Why is homework important ? Here are the obvious facts that prove homework is beneficial to kids.

  • When students do their assignment in the evening, it helps to reinforce knowledge.
  • It helps to train crucial skills like time management and problem-solving.
  • Parents can see children’s results and help them to level up their knowledge.
  • It is a good practice that is the only way to train automatic skills and remember the information.

Students have to train their skills at home, read books, and complete various tasks. Parents can be involved in this process. It helps to strengthen family relations and improve the learning process. The key to succeeding with homework is a balance. Enormous assignments can be harmful to students and make education less effective. That's why you may need homework help from professional academic assistants. 

How Much Homework is Too Much? Negative Affect of Too Much Homework    

Every teacher is responsible to the amount of tasks he gives students to finish at home. It is important because young children don’t have to work on too much homework  at night. Such activities must be engaging and useful. Teachers have to think about the effectiveness of the assignments. How does too much homework affect students? If you think about the answer to this question, let us give you a few negative effects of excessive homework at schools.

  • Decrease learning activity. Getting too much homework leads to a wrong attitude to education and lower overall grade of a student. If he spends hours to complete homework, he won’t have a mind to learn additional materials. It seems unrelated, but extra homework load reduces the ability to memorize other topics essential to a future career or personal life.
  • Worsen social communication. Children who have too much homework don’t have time to interact with schoolmates and friends. It is hard to communicate with other people and learn how to solve some issues that may occur if you don’t have enough experience.
  • Increase stress and ruin work-life balance . Spending spare time with complex tasks leads to an increased level of stress and other psychological issues. Students sleep less and have lower cognitive abilities at class.
  • Reduce productivity. If teachers give too much homework, children become overloaded. They don’t have the opportunity to develop their skills, solve issues, create interesting projects and more.

How much homework is too much in high school? This question doesn’t have a single answer. Every teacher has to choose his own strategy and try to make homework challenging and at the same time exciting and stimulating students to learn and become smarter.

Parents are responsible for their children’s health and well-being. If you see that your child is overwhelmed with assignments and spends all the time with homework, try to understand the reasons and find the solution. Maybe your child simply lacks homework motivation or is there indeed a lot of homework assignments. 

To recognize the problem, you have to know how much homework is too much for a kid. There is a general 10-minute rule recommended by the National PTA . According to this rule, a first grader doesn’t have to spend more than 10 minutes on homework; a second grader doesn’t have to spend more than 20 minutes. Remember that the rule is general in schools, and every teacher may have specific requirements.

Check if Your Child is Focused on Homework  

Sometimes, you may hear from your kid “I have too much homework.” Before you visit his teacher and blame him for some troubles, make sure that your child is focused enough on the particular task. It is a standard situation if children go to their room to complete homework but spend time by texting friends, watching videos or exploring Instagram. How to stay focused on homework ? Limit the distractions of your kid and explain to him that attention concentrating is the key to success and may help to complete the work faster.

If you want to increase the productivity of your children, you have to ensure that they have a convenient studying place. There are some specific requirements to this working space according to the student’s age and demands. First of all, it should be comfortable and spacious. Try to figure out specific homework routine. It helps to develop organization and time management skills and complete the task on time.

In some cases, it can be reasonable to say the teacher that your child has some troubles with homework. You may notice that your kid doesn’t have enough skills to complete the assignment or finish the task that takes 10 minutes in 40 minutes. Some issues with studying need your attention. Your child may need an additional class with the teacher, or he needs your help to train the memory and develop crucial skills. Say about your anxiety to the teacher and support your kid if he needs help with the learning process.

The question of whether students should have homework is not new. With more and more kids and their parents stating that they have almost no time to live because of homework children get at school, educators start wondering whether giving them homework is really such a good idea.Homework assigned at...

Students of all the ages face the problem of getting down to studying and wonder how to get yourself motivated to do homework. It is not surprising; there are many temptations surrounding them: good weather outside, social networks, video games, movies, serials, etc. This list can be just endless.No...

Nowadays children are born and get to the university at once. Parents are obsessed with children’s success and try to create a genius long before getting to a kindergarten. One of these attempts concerns homework. A question ‘How to do homework?’ touches both children and parents. Here you can read ...

  • Type 2 Diabetes
  • Heart Disease
  • Digestive Health
  • Multiple Sclerosis
  • COVID-19 Vaccines
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Healthy Aging
  • Health Insurance
  • Public Health
  • Patient Rights
  • Caregivers & Loved Ones
  • End of Life Concerns
  • Health News
  • Thyroid Test Analyzer
  • Doctor Discussion Guides
  • Hemoglobin A1c Test Analyzer
  • Lipid Test Analyzer
  • Complete Blood Count (CBC) Analyzer
  • What to Buy
  • Editorial Process
  • Meet Our Medical Expert Board

Too Much of This B Vitamin Could Be Bad for Your Heart

Witthaya Prasongsin / Getty Images

Key Takeaways

  • A recent study showed that high levels of niacin, also called vitamin B3, could increase the risk of heart disease by triggering inflammation and damaging blood vessels.
  • Niacin is found in many foods, including red meat, fish, brown rice, and bananas, as well as fortified cereals and breads.
  • If niacin is consumed in high doses through supplements, it can lead to toxicity which can potentially cause digestive symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and even liver damage.

Niacin , also known as vitamin B3, is made and used by your body to help convert foods that you eat into the energy you need. However, you can have too much of a good thing—a new study found that high levels of niacin may increase your risk of cardiovascular disease . 

The study, published in the journal Nature Medicine , found a breakdown product of niacin, known as 4PY, was strongly linked to the development of heart attack, stroke, and other cardiac events. More specifically, people with elevated levels of 4PY were around 60% more likely, on average, to have these cardiac events compared to people with lower levels.

“What’s exciting about these results is that this pathway appears to be a previously unrecognized yet significant contributor to the development of cardiovascular disease,” Stanley Hazen, MD, PhD , senior author of the study and Chair of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences at Cleveland Clinic’s Lerner Research Institute, said in a press release . “These insights set the stage for developing new approaches to counteract the effects of this pathway.” 

Here’s what you need to know about why niacin can be bad for your heart, as well as expert advice on making sure that your vitamin supplements aren’t putting you at risk.

What Is Niacin and Why Do You Need It?

Our bodies need niacin, and luckily, it’s found in a variety of foods like meat, fish, dairy, and grains, Joseph Daibes, DO , an interventional cardiologist at Northwell Lenox Hill Hospital, told Verywell.

“It plays several key roles, like helping convert food into energy and keeping our skin, nerves, and digestive system healthy,” said Daibes. Niacin also improves circulation and lowers elevated LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglyceride (fat) levels in the blood.

When you don’t get enough niacin in your diet, it can lead to pellagra , said Daibes. The condition can cause mental confusion, weakness, diarrhea, loss of appetite, and other serious symptoms.

“This was a huge issue during the Great Depression, which led the government to mandate that all of the wheat flour and other cereals be fortified with niacin,” said Daibes.

Niacin was also one of the first cholesterol medications out there, according to Daibes. However, researchers noticed a problem: While patients who took niacin did have lower cholesterol, their rates of cardiac events did not decrease—in some people, the rates actually went up compared to people in the general population.

Why Is Too Much Niacin Hard on Your Heart?

When niacin breaks down, it produces byproducts known as 2PY and 4PY. In the new study, the researchers found that these byproducts, specifically 4PY, have a direct role in triggering vascular inflammation, which damages blood vessels and could contribute to the development of plaque in the arteries ( atherosclerosis ) over time—which is a major heart disease risk factor. 

“It is well established that inflammation plays a critical role in cardiovascular disease, especially atherosclerotic coronary disease,” said Daibes. Since 2PY and 4PY are pro-inflammatory factors, they increase vascular inflammation, which is directly linked to worse cardiovascular outcomes, such as heart attacks and strokes.

4PY not only triggers inflammation in the cardiovascular system, but can also lead to an increase in plaque accumulation within the walls of arteries, leading to damage to blood vessels, Lena Bakovic, MS, RDN, CNSC , a registered dietitian specializing in chronic disease, weight management, and gut health at Top Nutrition Coaching , told Verywell.

“4PY is thought to trigger cardiovascular inflammation via a newly discovered pathway, which may then increase plaque deposits within artery walls and produce damage to blood vessels,” said Bakovic.

Although the study did not establish direct causation between niacin and an increased risk of heart disease, experts say that larger studies should be done to investigate the possible link.

“This study is a stepping stone for further research that may help us understand how we can further mitigate the risk for cardiovascular disease,” said Daibes.

Are There Other Vitamins That Can Become Dangerous When Broken Down?

The fat-soluble vitamins —A, D, E, and K—can be toxic when taken in large doses in supplement form, according to Bakovic. Unlike water-soluble vitamins, these fat-soluble vitamins are stored within the body, and each one comes with its own symptoms of toxicity.

What Foods and Products Contain Niacin? 

You can get niacin naturally from many different foods, including fish, red meat, poultry, pork, legumes, whole grains, brown rice, nuts, seeds, and bananas, according to Bakovic. It is also added to enriched and fortified foods, such as breads, cereals, and infant formulas.

Niacin is also found in many dietary supplements such as multivitamins or mineral supplements, specifically in the form of nicotinic acid and nicotinamide— two distinct chemical forms of niacin .  

In the form of nicotinic acid, niacin is also accessible as a prescription medicine for the treatment of high cholesterol—but do to the potentially dangerous side effects , it’s not as commonly used as it once was.

How Much Niacin Is Dangerous?

According to Bakovic, niacin is measured in niacin equivalents (NE); 1 NE is equivalent to 1 milligram (mg) of niacin or 60 mg of tryptophan, an amino acid that the body converts to niacin. The recommended dietary allowance for niacin is generally around 16 mg NE for men and 14 mg NE for women. The allowance is 18 mg NE for women who are pregnant and 17 mg NE for women who are breastfeeding.

“The Tolerable Upper Intake Level, which is the maximum daily intake unlikely to cause harmful effects, is 35 milligrams or 35 NE of niacin” for people 19 years or older, said Bakovic. “Anything beyond that amount poses a risk for toxicity.”

Consuming high doses of niacin in supplement form, particularly going over 500 mg and especially in the form of nicotinic acid, can increase the risk of niacin toxicity , according to Bakovic. One of the more common symptoms of excessive niacin is flushed or red skin, which shows up throughout the body.

Other symptoms of niacin toxicity include gout, digestive issues, nausea, diarrhea, headaches, blurred vision, fatigue, low blood pressure, vomiting, easy bruising, increased bleeding from wounds, and in rare cases, inflammation of the liver.

However, you should know that it’s unlikely you’ll get dangerously high doses of niacin from eating too many niacin-rich foods because dietary sources typically provide well-balanced amounts of the nutrient. The risk is more from supplements, especially if large amounts are taken over time. That’s why you should always talk to your healthcare provider before starting any kind of vitamin.

What This Means For You

While more research is needed to fully understand the link, too much niacin or vitamin B3 could be bad for your heart health. You’re not likely to get too much niacin from your diet, but supplements could pose a risk if you take high doses over an extended time.

National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Niacin: fact sheet for health professionals .

Ferrell M, Wang Z, Anderson JT, et al. A terminal metabolite of niacin promotes vascular inflammation and contributes to cardiovascular disease risk . Nat Med . 2024;30(2):424-434. doi:10.1038/s41591-023-02793-8

Mount Sinai. Vitamin B3 (niacin) .

Cleveland Clinic. Cleveland Clinic-led study discovers link between high levels of niacin – a common B Vitamin – and heart disease .

National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.  Pellagra .

National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.  Niacin for cholesterol . 

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Niacin — vitamin B3 .

By Alyssa Hui Alyssa Hui is a St. Louis-based health and science news writer. She was the 2020 recipient of the Midwest Broadcast Journalists Association Jack Shelley Award.

  • Skip to main content
  • Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

'Everything is rising at a scary rate': Why car and home insurance costs are surging

Scott Horsley 2010

Scott Horsley

can too much homework be bad

Ezra Croft from North Carolina saw his annual homeowners' insurance surge to $1,600, a $700 increase. Many others across the country are also seeing surging auto and home insurance premiums. Courtesy of Ezra Croft hide caption

Ezra Croft from North Carolina saw his annual homeowners' insurance surge to $1,600, a $700 increase. Many others across the country are also seeing surging auto and home insurance premiums.

Ezra Croft has never filed an insurance claim, and his house in Raleigh, North Carolina isn't close to a stormy coastline or a fire-prone forest.

So Croft was surprised when his annual homeowner's insurance premium shot up to $1,600, or $700 dollars more than he was paying just a couple of years ago.

4 reasons why your car insurance premium is soaring

4 reasons why your car insurance premium is soaring

"I'm a middle income guy," Croft says. "Don't make a ton of extra money. At this point I'm teetering on the point of inaffordability."

Similar complaints can be heard all over the country. On average, insurance companies sought to raise homeowners' premiums by more than 11% last year, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence .

Auto insurance premiums are climbing even faster , far outpacing overall inflation .

Take Paul Morro. His auto insurance bill just jumped by $600 a year.

"Here's the kicker," Morro says. "My wife and I both work from home. So we have no commute to speak of."

He's bracing himself for the bill to insure his house, in Herndon, Va.

"It just feels like everything is rising at a scary rate," Morro says.

Why insurance costs are surging

Insurance companies insist they're just playing catch-up, after two years of big losses. For every dollar in home and auto premiums they collected last year, insurance companies paid an average of $1.10 in claims and expenses, according to the Insurance Information Institute.

"Nobody wants to have that higher-price bill," says Sean Kevelighan, the institute's CEO. But he added companies "need to price insurance according to the risk level that's out there."

Inflation is partly to blame for those big payouts. The cost of fixing or replacing damaged homes and cars has jumped sharply in recent years as a result of rising labor and material prices.

Even as those prices start to level off, though, insurers are having to contend with a mounting toll of natural disasters, and not just in the usual places like Florida and California.

can too much homework be bad

A car remains in the wreckage after a house and garage were abruptly destroyed by a landslide as an atmospheric river storm inundates the Hollywood Hills area of Los Angeles on Feb. 6, 2024. A spate of natural disasters is helping lead to soaring insurance premiums across the country. David McNew/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

A car remains in the wreckage after a house and garage were abruptly destroyed by a landslide as an atmospheric river storm inundates the Hollywood Hills area of Los Angeles on Feb. 6, 2024. A spate of natural disasters is helping lead to soaring insurance premiums across the country.

Last year, there were around two dozen severe storms in the U.S. with billion-dollar price tags, spreading lightning, hail and damaging winds through many parts of the country.

"While a lot of these storms don't make national headlines, they do tend to be very costly at the local level," says Tim Zawacki, principal research analyst for insurance at S&P Global Market Intelligence. "And the breadth of where these storms are occurring is something that I think the industry is quite concerned about."

As a result, insurance premiums are likely to keep climbing this year even as overall inflation cools.

Insurers have a lot of pricing power

While state regulators have some power to limit those price hikes, insurance companies tend to get their way. Regulators know that if they move too aggressively to limit premiums, insurance companies might stop offering coverage altogether.

"The insurance companies have become really aggressive in their bullying," says Doug Heller, director of insurance for the Consumer Federation of America. "You've heard a lot about companies that are threatening to pull out of the market if they don't get what they want. Generally speaking that bullying has worked."

can too much homework be bad

Douglas Heller, director Of insurance at the Consumer Federation of America, speaks during a Senate Banking Committee hearing about the property insurance market on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 7, 2023. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images hide caption

Douglas Heller, director Of insurance at the Consumer Federation of America, speaks during a Senate Banking Committee hearing about the property insurance market on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 7, 2023.

Last week, the Treasury Department hosted a roundtable with consumer and environmental groups to discuss the ways climate change is rattling insurance markets. The department also plans to host a meeting on the topic with insurance industry stakeholders.

Customers can sometimes save money by shopping around. Alicia Pitorri switched insurance carriers after the cost of her family's auto policy jumped more than a thousand dollars.

"It was Liberty Mutual," she says with a rueful laugh. "We've since switched to State Farm since the renewal went up so much."

Extreme weather, fueled by climate change, cost the U.S. $165 billion in 2022

Extreme weather, fueled by climate change, cost the U.S. $165 billion in 2022

Pitorri, who lives in Nashville, says while she managed to shave a few hundred dollars off the bill, she's still paying a lot more than she did two years ago.

"What can you do?" she asks. "You need insurance. You can't have a vehicle or a house without them. So you have to pay for it. And you figure out where you can cut other things to make sure you can drive around."

Going without insurance

Auto insurance is required in nearly all states. And lenders typically require homeowners who have a mortgage to carry insurance as well. Still, as premiums keep climbing, more people are scaling back their coverage or even going without.

Ezra Croft considered dropping his homeowners' coverage, but ultimately decided to pay the higher premium.

"I'm fairly good at home repairs, but if something like a tree fell on my house or a tornado or a fire, I don't know what I would do," Croft says.

A survey by the Insurance Information Institute last year found 12% of homeowners had no insurance, up from 5% four years earlier. Going without coverage is risky, though, for both individuals and communities.

"Insurance is an important product, not only for economic stability but for community resilience," says Heller. "We are very concerned that these escalating premiums are going to lead to escalating rates of uninsured drivers and homeowners, which makes us all quite vulnerable."

  • homeowners insurance
  • auto insurance
  • severe storms
  • climate change

Hotshot Wharton professor sees $34 trillion debt triggering 2025 meltdown as mortgage rates spike above 7%: ‘It could derail the next administration’

Photo of Jerome Powell

Among the illustrious nameplates adorning the offices of Ivy League business schools is one Joao Gomes. A Wharton Business School finance professor, Gomes is issuing a warning cry many of his peers so far have chosen to ignore: America’s burgeoning public debt mountain.

Professor Gomes is what some might call up-and-coming: He added the University of Pennsylvania’s Marshall Blume Prize to his CV in 2018 and was appointed senior vice dean of research in 2021.

But the fresh-faced expert isn’t afraid to step away from the pack if it means pushing presidential hopefuls for some answers. Gomes admits he’s “probably” more worried than his colleagues about government debt, but refuses to stay silent on a broiling issue he believes will throw the global economy into disarray.

Gomes predicts America’s $34 trillion debt burden may upset the world’s financial markets as early as next year—should a president-elect announce a raft of expensive policies.

And remember the U.K.’s mortgage meltdown following a disastrous premiership under Prime Minister Liz Truss? That’s on the cards as well, as Gomes said rates could spiral to 7% “or higher” if the topic is swept under the rug by Washington.

The warning isn’t chiming alone. Since the beginning of the year an increasing cacophony of alarm bells has been ringing out: JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon says there will be a market “rebellion” over the issue, while Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan says it’s time to stop “admiring” the problem and instead do something about it.

This fear is echoing outside Wall Street, too. The Black Swan  author Nassim Taleb says the economy is in a  “death spiral,”  while Fed Chairman Jerome Powell says it’s past time to have an  “adult conversation” about fiscal responsibility.

But despite this, presidential candidates likely won’t be getting on stage with promises of how they’ll wrestle down the debt-to-GDP ratio to a more palatable figure. (Experts are currently predicting it will reach 190% by 2050 .)

“I wish it was a big issue, but I’m not sure it’s in the interest of either party to make it a big issue,” Gomes told Fortune . “As we discuss promises about ‘what we’re going to do with tax and programs,’ it’s going to be important to put it in the context of ‘Can we afford that?’”

He continued, “It’s a really obvious moment in history for us to say: ‘Okay, what are our choices; what can we feasibly do; who has the better plan?’ I suspect neither party is interested in that, and it might all be pushed under the rug.”

I probably worry about the US debt more than most of my professional colleagues. But in this election year I believe voters should ask much tougher questions of politicians that don’t take this threat seriously. https://t.co/TDMDbCssVi — Joao Gomes (@ProfJoaoGomes) February 16, 2024

Indeed, while one party will have to make some unpopular decisions to tackle the issue, it’s a problem created by both of them. Bank of America Research’s Flow Show team, led by investment strategist Michael Hartnett, calculated in February that the deficits run up under the tenures of presidents Trump and Biden are the greatest since Franklin D. Roosevelt in the 1930s.

Trump and Biden both dealt with a crisis-struck economy trying to navigate a global pandemic. FDR, of course, was firefighting the Great Depression and then oversaw the American entry into World War II.

Gomes believes that irrespective of who contributed to the mess, one party is going to have to shoulder the responsibility for unpicking it: “Toward the latter part of the decade we will have to deal with this.

“It could derail the next administration, frankly. If they come up with plans for large tax cuts or another big fiscal stimulus, the markets could rebel. Interest rates could just spike right there, and we would have a crisis in 2025. It could very well happen. I’m very confident by the end of the decade one way or another, we will be there.” 

Warning signs

As with any financial crisis, there will be warning signs when the national debt comes home to roost—though for consumers and markets this realization may not happen in synchrony.

At a policy level, Gomes believes, this will be when the parties buying debt decide the model is simply no longer sustainable. This could even be triggered by government policies announced early in the next administration, which in turn will spook a market seeing a hefty price tag attached.

“The most important thing about debt for people to keep in mind is you need somebody to buy it,” Gomes told  Fortune . “We used to be able to count on China, Japanese investors, the Fed to [buy the debt]. All those players are slowly going away and are actually now selling.”

America’s ability to pay its debts is a concern for the nations around the world that own a $7.6 trillion chunk of the funds . 

The nations most exposed are Japan, which owned $1.1 trillion  as of November 2023 , China ($782 billion), the U.K. ($716 billion), Luxembourg ($371 billion), and Canada ($321 billion).

“If at some moment these folks that have so far been happy to buy government debt from major economies decide, ‘You know what, I’m not too sure if this is a good investment anymore. I’m going to ask for a higher interest rate to be persuaded to hold this,’ then we could have a real accident on our hands,” Gomes said.

In this case, Gomes believes America would see something of a Liz Truss–like implosion. In 2022, the British MP backed a mini-budget featuring a raft of fiscal stimulus, spooking the City to the extent that the pound spiraled to its lowest value ever against the dollar.

After the shortest premiership in British history, Truss was promptly ousted, but not before leaving a legacy: British mortgage rates increased by approximately 2% in a matter of weeks.

And following this trend, mortgages—a cornerstone of Western economies—are precisely where consumers will start to feel the heat. When mortgage rates go above 7% is when consumers will start pushing for change, said Gomes, adding that if policymakers don’t take steps now, the public will be back to these rates, “if not worse.”

Avoiding exposure

The good news is, there are a couple of ways to avoid this crisis. The bad news is, nothing at all needs to happen for government debt to become the economic issue of the next decade—and it’ll be pretty unavoidable once it gets here.

And if you’re wondering how much debt the government would need to recoup per person, it’s not pretty. Current estimates are that it’s over $100,000 for each individual.

The route to avoiding this problem sounds simple. After all, if the debt-to-GDP ratio is what’s got everyone so concerned, just upping the second variable will rebalance it, right? Yes, but it means growing the economy pretty swiftly, and few are convinced America can do that.

The second solution is unpopular, but may be the only alternative the government is left with: cutting spending. “Responsible budget proposals” may suffice to stave off any market upset, Gomes said, while “imposing major cuts on some programs…opens a Pandora’s box of social unrest that I don’t think anybody wants to think about.”

If markets do indeed rebel across the globe and throw the world’s largest economy into disarray, the ripple effects will be felt across borders. Unfortunately, Gomes believes there will be no avoiding it: “A government that runs into funding difficulties, that cannot convince investors to fund its debt, that government is going to probably have to raise taxes. There’s no way you can protect yourself from that.

“Any exposure you have, whether it’s mortgages or loans, is really hard to avoid in any dimension. It’s bad across the board for the country, but it’s hard to avoid exposure wherever you live in the world.”

Latest in Finance

  • 0 minutes ago

can too much homework be bad

How to watch the 2024 Academy Awards for free—and without cable

can too much homework be bad

Pete Buttigieg says Boeing faces ‘enormous’ scrutiny from FAA as DOJ starts criminal investigation after Alaska Airlines blowout

can too much homework be bad

Four European countries just signed a free-trade agreement with India—and committed to invest $100 billion

can too much homework be bad

The rise and stunning fall of Paytm, which once had India’s largest IPO but is now the target of a central bank crackdown that could kill its business

can too much homework be bad

Judge clears way for Trump Media merger vote that could spell $4 billion windfall for ex-president

PCAOB Chair Erica Williams.

The accounting crisis everybody seems to ignore, and the regulator fighting to fix it

Most popular.

can too much homework be bad

Eco-terrorists strike $1 billion blow against Tesla plant in Germany and Rivian halts $5 billion Georgia factory as activists cheer

can too much homework be bad

TikTok shareholders who make any ‘disparaging statement’ about the company risk having their entire holdings seized

can too much homework be bad

Jerome Powell says ‘the housing market is in a very challenging situation right now’ and interest rate cuts alone won’t solve a long-running inventory crisis

can too much homework be bad

Tesla rival Rivian’s market value jumps by over $1.7B after it unveils R2 and halts $5B factory—cutting costs ‘massively’ as Elon Musk suggested

can too much homework be bad

Exclusive: Elon Musk’s X is launching a YouTube clone for smart TVs, starting with Amazon and Samsung, in its bid to pivot to video

can too much homework be bad

‘Ultrawealthy’ Gen Xers are proving more resistant to returning to the office—but Gen Z and millennials are making it a priority

Deseret News

Can too much music be bad for your mental health?

U tah’s oldest independent vinyl record shop, Randy’s Record Store , is sandwiched between a local cafe and a neighborhood barbershop. It doesn’t get more classic than that.

Vinyls — hanging from the ceiling, pinned to the wall, slid neatly between one another on tables — are both the decorations and the merchandise of Randy’s, along with CDs. It is a time capsule of sorts. The inside walls are neither lined with flashy strip lights and framed “art works” of abstract shapes or stripped bare to please the modern minimalist.

But records and CDs have long since stopped being the preferred method of music listening, according to CBS News . So what keeps the business going?

“I think there is something really special about having a physical copy of music; especially our favorite music,” says Sam Stinson, the owner of Randy’s Record Store. Some people keep vinyls for the memories from their youth, “keepsakes from concerts or even travel” because “we want a physical medium of things we love.”

Stinson told the Deseret News that music is powerful — capable of influencing your thoughts and feelings in any setting, whether it’s in a crowded venue singing your favorite song with a bunch of strangers or home alone listening to your favorite album.

“Everybody is drawn to wherever they’re at in life, I feel,” he said, adding that the music you listen to changes as you grow older since “certain things resonate more” at different stages of your life.

The power behind music

For many people, music feels “like something that can reflect how I feel,” Heidi Ahonen, professor of music therapy at Wilford Laurier University in Ontario, Canada, told Deseret News.

When listening to music, you can “have this feeling that I’m not the only one who is experiencing this. Somebody, maybe the composer or the songwriter, also experienced this. It’s human beings sharing something and that experience of empathy is always very healing for us when we go through difficult things,” Ahonen added.

“There is this idea that you can cry with music, and you can laugh with music. You can be angry with music, which is really important because sometimes we don’t have people around us who are empathetic to our experiences. That empathy is found in music instead,” she said.

Music helps people make sense of things, including things that are difficult, said Joshua Knobe, a professor of cognitive science at Yale University. “There’s this thing you can get from some music where you think, this is what music is really all about. This is what life is about.”

Knobe was part of a research team that recently studied why people enjoy listening to sad music. The study, published in the Journal of Aesthetic Education , discovered that the same emotions that make you feel close to others in conversation are experienced when listening to sad music.

“You feel a little bit less alone in the world. You feel connected to someone else,” Knobe said.

Physically, the body reacts to music in several ways, including with fluctuating levels of dopamine and cortisol, the chemicals in the brain responsible for feeling happy or stressed, said Mackenzie Oprean, a board-certified music therapist at the University of Utah’s Huntsman Cancer Institute.

Music affects us all emotionally, physically and mentally.

Music and mental health

Music therapy is a practice where music engagement — activities like songwriting, listening to music, singing and playing an instrument — is used to address the emotional, physical, mental or spiritual needs and goals a person may have.

“Music interventions are our vessel to address all sorts of individualized goals. We work with emotional health, physical health, motor function, cognitive disabilities,” and even “see folks through their end-of-life process,” Oprean added.

Daniel Gustavson, an assistant research professor at the Institute for Behavioral Genetics at the University of Colorado Boulder, was previously part of a team of researchers who studied the link between mental health and music engagement, their findings published in the journal Nature . “I think about music engagement in the same way I think people are using it to help themselves,” he said. “I think for the most part music listening, music and especially active music engagement is probably really good for people.”

A survey of music therapy patients at the Huntsman Cancer Institute showed that after treatment, 86% of them had improved mood, 78% felt less anxious and 77% felt less lonely.

But for the best results, music you listen to needs to match your mood. “If I’m feeling really sad,” Ahonen said, “it would almost be insulting if my friend comes in and says, ‘Oh, listen to this happy music.’ Don’t you have any idea what I’m going through?”

When you feel sad, you don’t usually seek happy things to make you feel better, Knobe said. Instead, people tend to “seek outside things that make them feel less alone in their sadness.”

Being able to express yourself through music and how you’re currently feeling is an important part of music therapy. Music’s a wonderful validator that can take away the feeling of isolation, or feeling “broken,” Oprean said.

But that can hit a limit.

“The problem starts when they (patients) keep listening to that music that evokes those tears, evokes that feeling of depression,” she added. “And that’s what (music therapists) want to watch out for.”

“Moving forward” with music

Can listening to too much music be bad for your mental health? These experts say not usually — unless you tend to wallow in negative emotions.

“Some people who listen to music to lean into their sad feelings may end up feeling worse later,” Gustavson said.  

If someone has preexisting mental health issues — things like depression, anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder — Oprean said that music could become harmful in specific settings. For these patients, music therapists will watch to see if their music use keeps them in states of distress rather than removes them from that state, especially if those patients have specific songs that are tied to traumatic events.

And some people could start using music as a form of escapism, leaving “the real world to the delight or security of a fantasy world,” according to the American Psychological Association Dictionary of Psychology .

Said Ahonen, “If somebody cannot be in silence at all and they need noise all the time,” or they use music to avoid reality, social relationships or face-to-face interactions, that’s not usually a sign of healthy music use.

Oprean warns that when folks are experiencing distress and emotional turmoil, some might use music to keep them in that state. Music should be used “to validate and then to move forward and adjust our mood,” she says, urging people to be mindful of “what we want to evoke.”

Music should instead help people stay emotionally and mentally well — and opportunities to help others feel well through music are abundant, experts say.

The Huntsman Cancer Institute music therapy program invites patients, their family members and Huntsman staff to be part of its Hope Choir, designed to bring the parties together to create music.

“It’s a really lovely way to kind of break down the hierarchy between provider and patient and provide that sense of community for patients, families and providers who are all encountering the effects of cancer on their lives. That sense of connection and community we found to be so beneficial in promoting mental health,” Oprean said.

When it comes to keeping his mental health intact, Stinson, the record store owner, said that he’s “learned to actually sit with emotions without distraction and process them in different ways.” After long hours at the record shop, he jokingly added that sometimes listening to music once he gets home is “the last thing he wants to do.”

He added, “I think music can be an escape, and it’s a beautiful escape for some people in certain situations,” but it’s important to be able to “deal with life itself,” and have music help instead of hinder that progress.

Can too much music be bad for your mental health?

  • Short Videos
  • Web Stories
  • Dabur Vedic Tea
  • Sugar-Free Life
  • Crushed by careers
  • Diabetes Dilemma
  • Diet & Fitness
  • Health Diseases
  • Miscellaneous

Doctor Verified

Did You Know Eating Too Much Protein Can Cause Bad Breath? Doctor Explains Why

Tenzin Chodon

  • Written by : Tenzin Chodon
  • Updated at: Mar 11, 2024 01:25 IST

Did You Know Eating Too Much Protein Can Cause Bad Breath? Doctor Explains Why

Protein is often referred to as the "building blocks of our bodies." This is because they are essential for almost every bodily function. They help build and repair tissues, increase muscle strength, and build healthy bones. Eating protein-rich foods also helps make hormones that regulate various processes and even assists the immune system in fighting off invaders. Unlike fat and carbohydrates, our bodies don't store protein for long, so we need a steady intake through our diet to maintain good health.

But eating protein in excessive amounts can also prove harmful for your body. One of the most common yet overlooked signs is bad breath, says Dr Edwina Raj, Head of Services—Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, Aster CMI Hospital, Bengaluru. In an interaction with the OnlyMyHealth team, she explains why and also provides ways to prevent it.

Can Eating Too Much Protein Cause Bad Breath?

can too much homework be bad

“Excessive intake of protein sources is one of the key contributors to bad breath,” said Dr Raj.

  • Meat, including beef, lamb, pork, and poultry
  • Fish, such as tuna, salmon, and sardines
  • Dairy products, like milk, yoghurt, and cheese

Why Does A High-Protein Diet Cause Bad Breath?

can too much homework be bad

According to Dr Raj, an imbalance in diet with a high intake of dietary protein sources primarily from animal sources and other plant-based foods, such as legumes, nuts, leafy greens, and garlic, is a common cause of bad breath. When these foods break down in our mouths, it leads to the release of certain volatile sulphur compounds (VSCs), mainly hydrogen sulphide, which contributes to bad breath.

“The bacteria in our oral cavity can produce these sulphur compounds due to food-decaying residues that decompose the dietary proteins and amino acids,” she explained.

Citing an example, she shared, “Milk products contain a protein known as casein, which is rich in cysteine, a sulphur-containing amino acid. This compound degrades to produce hydrogen sulphide that smells like rotten eggs, favouring the bacterial growth within our mouth.”

How To Prevent Bad Breath With Protein-Rich Diet?

can too much homework be bad

  • Always maintain proper oral hygiene
  • Stay well hydrated to help flush out bacteria and reduce dry mouth
  • Balance protein intake with fibrous vegetables to aid digestion
  • Consider using chewing gums only if recommended by your dentist or doctor; it helps to stimulate saliva production and keeps your breath fresh.

According to Dr Raj, protein-rich foods, such as yoghurt or kefir, may reduce the risk of bad breath. These contain probiotics that can balance out your oral bacteria and improve digestion, potentially minimising foul mouth odour.

Troubled by Frequent Migraines? Causes and First-Aid for this Secret Storm

All possible measures have been taken to ensure accuracy, reliability, timeliness and authenticity of the information; however Onlymyhealth.com does not take any liability for the same. Using any information provided by the website is solely at the viewers’ discretion. In case of any medical exigencies/ persistent health issues, we advise you to seek a qualified medical practitioner before putting to use any advice/tips given by our team or any third party in form of answers/comments on the above mentioned website.

  • # Doctor-verified
  • # Bad breath

Advertisement

Six Key Questions Ahead of Biden’s State of the Union

What campaign themes will he lay out? How directly will he attack Donald Trump? Will he say the word abortion?

  • Share full article

A wide shot of President Biden speaking to journalists at the White House last month.

By Reid J. Epstein and Nicholas Nehamas

  • March 7, 2024

Follow live updates on Biden’s State of the Union address .

The State of the Union address on Thursday is likely to be President Biden’s best opportunity before November to tell Americans at length about his record in office and what he would do in a second term.

It’s not technically a campaign speech, since he will deliver it in his official capacity from the floor of the House of Representatives, but for American presidents in the last year of their first term, the annual address represents the kickoff to their re-election effort.

Mr. Biden will deliver the speech, which typically runs for an hour or more, from a position of political vulnerability but with a host of policy accomplishments to play up. And it comes just as the long-anticipated matchup between him and his predecessor, former President Donald J. Trump, is settling into place.

The speech will address big themes like Mr. Biden’s attempts to restore democracy, and highlight smaller, more personal policy changes his administration has enacted, such as fighting credit card fees and lowering prescription drug costs, the White House told allies in a briefing about the speech Wednesday, according to a person who attended the session.

Here are six questions facing Mr. Biden before he steps to the rostrum on Thursday at 9 p.m. Eastern.

What will his overarching 2024 message be?

This one is pretty simple: Donald Trump is a dire threat to democracy and Americans’ freedoms.

How fine a point Mr. Biden puts on this message in the State of the Union is a different question. It would break with decades of political tradition to attack a campaign rival by name during the address, but Mr. Biden and allied Democrats have argued throughout his campaign that 2024 may be an inflection point that calls for unusual measures.

“He should point to the real danger Trump poses,” said Pat Cunnane, who was a White House speechwriter during President Barack Obama’s second term. “People sort of drown that out a bit, they’ve heard it so much. So I’d also love for him to use a bit of humor and just remind everybody how weird of a guy Donald Trump is.”

How does he try to defuse the age concerns?

Over the past month, Mr. Biden, 81, has faced more intense scrutiny over his age , stemming in part from a special counsel’s report calling him a “well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.” Polls show that even many of his Democratic supporters are worried. The speech by Mr. Biden, who often stays out of public view at night , will take place at the relatively late hour of 9 p.m.

The bar on the age question is pretty low for Mr. Biden. He just has to deliver a standard-issue State of the Union speech with vigor and parry whatever interruptions come his way. He took great pride last year in successfully clapping back against Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia when she called him a “liar.”

But not meeting the moment has the potential to be treacherous.

A serious verbal stumble, or even a physical one on his way in or out of the chamber, would be replayed nonstop on cable news and social media, and could have the potential to bring to a boil many of the private concerns Democrats have long expressed about the president’s ability to campaign effectively for re-election.

Can he persuade more Americans the economy isn’t so bad?

Data on the U.S. economy says one thing. But most Americans say another.

So far, Mr. Biden has been unable to convince voters that the economy is faring well , despite falling inflation, low unemployment and a record stock market. Roughly half of registered voters believe the economy is in “poor” condition, according to a poll conducted late last month by The New York Times and Siena College .

Democratic presidents are typically told not to brag too much about the economy to avoid alienating voters who are struggling. That’s a bad choice, said Michael Waldman, who was a chief speechwriter for President Bill Clinton’s White House.

“In 1984, people were still feeling pain and they didn’t realize the economy was surging until Reagan said, ‘America is back standing tall,’” Mr. Waldman said. “In 1996, Clinton was being advised: ‘Do not talk about economic success.’ He had a surprisingly positive tone in his State of the Union.”

In his stump speeches, Mr. Biden cites a litany of encouraging statistics and emphasizes expanding the economy “from the middle out and the bottom up.”

Vibes are a stubborn thing to shift, though, and the president may need to show he empathizes with Americans who say they are struggling financially. Otherwise, his approach may boil down to a version of: “Who are you going to believe, me or your lying eyes?”

Does he say the word abortion?

Mr. Biden, a practicing Catholic, is known to be uncomfortable using the word “abortion” too much, instead choosing phrases like “reproductive health” and “the right to choose.” But abortion rights have become his party’s biggest electoral weapon since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, driving unexpected victories.

Abortion advocates will closely watch how Mr. Biden talks about the subject on Thursday night, as well as the language he uses. It is likely he will highlight an Alabama court ruling that determined frozen embryos have the legal status of human beings , which led fertility clinics in the state to stop operating temporarily. I.V.F. is widely popular among Americans, and the ruling put Republicans on the defensive as Mr. Biden and Democrats sought to exploit it.

Will there be a pro-Gaza protest?

Just about everywhere Mr. Biden goes, protesters angry about Israel’s war in Gaza follow.

The demonstrators have interrupted several of his speeches — sometimes repeatedly — and have had tense standoffs with the police outside his events. They even gained access to a hotel where he stayed during a trip to San Francisco.

Security is ultratight at State of the Union addresses, and decorum ( usually ) prevails. But nothing would illustrate the anger many progressives feel over Mr. Biden’s support for Israel like a protest during his most visible speech of the year.

It’s unlikely that House Democrats who have demanded an unconditional cease-fire will shout at Mr. Biden about it. They have for the most part deferred to Representative Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, the only Palestinian American in Congress, who has held relatively cordial meetings with the Biden campaign and been in touch with the White House about her concerns.

But several House members are bringing Palestinian Americans who have lost family members in Gaza to be their guests at the event. Emotions could be raw.

Who is going to watch?

At last month’s Super Bowl, Mr. Biden turned down a televised interview for the second year in a row. His aides said they didn’t want to distract from the spectacle on the field. But Mr. Biden’s refusal cost him the chance to sell his message at a game watched by 123.4 million people, a record audience .

State of the Union addresses typically generate much less interest. Last year, about 27.3 million people watched Mr. Biden’s speech live on television, down 29 percent from the year before .

Most of the voters Mr. Biden will need to win re-election probably won’t be watching the speech live anyway. They are generally not paying attention to politics eight months before the general election, and are more likely to catch clips of the speech on TikTok than to be sitting on their couch with CNN on the television.

But an election-year State of the Union might attract more viewers. And although Mr. Trump has said he will be posting on social media during the speech, he is not set to engage in any sort of televised counterprogramming that might draw attention away from Mr. Biden.

Jonathan Weisman , Michael M. Grynbaum , Lisa Lerer and Michael Gold contributed reporting.

Reid J. Epstein covers campaigns and elections from Washington. Before joining The Times in 2019, he worked at The Wall Street Journal, Politico, Newsday and The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. More about Reid J. Epstein

Nicholas Nehamas is a Times political reporter covering the presidential campaign of Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida. More about Nicholas Nehamas

Our Coverage of the State of the Union

In a raucous state of the union address, president biden sought to reassure americans that at 81, he is ready for a second term..

Biden’s Performance: The president was feisty   and displayed a newly found solemnity and blunt combativeness . Republicans jeered  from their seats. And Democrats enthusiastically cheered their presidential nominee, even as a few aired their grievances about the war in Gaza .

A Contrast With Trump: In his speech, Biden launched a series of fiery attacks  against former President Donald Trump, a competitor whom he did not mention by name but made clear was a dire threat to American democracy  and to  stability in the world .

Middle East Crisis: During the State of the Union, the president announced the construction of a port to deliver aid to Gaza. That decision, as well as the  authorization of aid airdrops  on the territory, raised uncomfortable questions  about America’s role in the war.

Seeking a Tricky Balance: As he spoke to Congress, Biden tried to demonstrate that he could be tough on the border without demonizing immigrants .

A Rare Mention: Biden briefly referenced a topic  that he has often been reluctant to embrace: marijuana. His words could signal a move toward promoting the efforts he has made to liberalize cannabis policy.

Style Choices: Democratic women in suffragist white , Marjorie Taylor Greene in MAGA red. The sartorial statement-making on the congressional floor was clear .

Premium Content

  • MIND, BODY, WONDER

You actually can consume too much caffeine. Here are the risks.

Most people drink coffee and tea to help stay awake. But scientists warn against overconsumption—and that higher dosage caffeine drinks can lead to stress, lack of sleep, and even death.

Coffee splashing out of a clear mug.

A North American bakery-cafe restaurant chain is now facing two different wrongful death lawsuits from family members claiming a loved one died after drinking a beverage containing high quantities of caffeine.

The drink in question is a sugar-sweetened lemonade loaded with the stimulant. Though the exact amount of caffeine consumed in both instances is unconfirmed, both lawsuits allege that the 21-year-old female and the 46-year-old male each died shortly after drinking from a 30-ounce cup of the product that may have contained as much as 390 milligrams of caffeine and 124 grams of sugar, if ice wasn’t used. For comparison, an eight-ounce cup of coffee contains 80 to 100 milligrams of caffeine, and a 12-ounce can of a Red Bull brand energy drink contains 114 milligrams of caffeine.

The amount of caffeine consumed in these cases matter because the stimulant can affect people in different ways, which is one reason nutritional scientists frequently warn against overconsumption.

"At very high doses, caffeine can be toxic or even lethal," says Rob van Dam, a professor of exercise and nutrition sciences at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University.

But figuring out the quantity of caffeine in a food or beverage isn’t always easy. Part of the issue is that caffeine isn't considered an additive when it occurs naturally such in coffee, tea, and chocolate.

In such foods, “you won’t find ‘caffeine’ on the label,” says Marilyn Cornelis, an associate professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Instead, caffeine is only required to be listed as an ingredient in the United States when it has been added to certain products. Even then, there is no regulation requiring the disclosure of the exact amount of caffeine contained therein, Cornelis explains.

What is caffeine and how does it work?

Derived from the leaves, stem, fruit, or beans of coffee, tea, cacao, and guarana plants, caffeine is the most widely used central-nervous-system stimulant in the world. It’s contained naturally in many plants and foods we eat and is also added in synthetic form to many products such as cola and energy beverages.

Caffeine is a member of a group of chemical compounds collectively known as methylxanthines, which are absorbed rapidly into the bloodstream and affect the central nervous system. They do this, in part, by binding with adenosine receptors throughout the brain and body.

Adenosine is a chemical that plays an important role in promoting sleep and helping the body feel tired. As adenosine rises through wakeful periods, it binds to its receptor, triggering sleepiness.

But because the caffeine molecule resembles adenosine, it can bind to receptors on the nerve cell, thereby preventing adenosine from doing so. Without adenosine signaling sleep, an individual remains awake and alert. This interference both speeds up the cell’s activity and prevents it from slowing down the way adenosine would cause it to do.

What’s more, research shows that caffeine also increases cortisol and epinephrine levels—two hormones associated with feelings of excitement, stress, and anxiousness.

The upside of caffeine

Due to such effects, caffeine can be a useful stimulant to increase mental alertness and reduce fatigue. It's also useful in maintaining performance for the sleep deprived and is used by U.S. Army soldiers for this purpose.

Some research shows that caffeine can also improve memory function and one's ability to concentrate. Long-term consumption has also been linked to a reduced risk of Parkinson’s disease.

( $1,500 for 'naturally refined' coffee? Here's what that phrase really means. )

Moderate consumption of coffee and tea may also   improve cardiovascular health in some people, says van Dam, though he is quick to point out that any associated benefits are most likely due to other compounds in these beverages such as the antioxidant properties associated with chlorogenic acid and trigonelline, and not necessarily due to the drink’s caffeine content.

"Overall, the health benefits of caffeine intake are relatively minor and not significant enough to encourage caffeine consumption," says Jennifer Temple, director of the nutrition and health research laboratory at the University at Buffalo. What's more, "any potential benefit could be offset by other components of the beverages, such as higher sugar intake."

Indeed, like the 124 grams of added sugars in the aforementioned super-caffeinated lemonade, many caffeinated beverages are frequently loaded with sugar.

That’s because, though manufacturers state that caffeine is added to “enhance the flavor” of their beverages, “caffeine is very bitter and actually makes it so more sugar or other sweetener has to be added to make these drinks palatable," says Temple.

You May Also Like

can too much homework be bad

How ultra-processed food harms the body and brain

can too much homework be bad

Is chocolate actually good for you?

can too much homework be bad

Your body needs whole grains. Here’s how to find the most effective ones.

The downsides of caffeine and risks of overconsumption.

Beyond avoiding high quantities of sugars in many caffeinated beverages and the health problems that accompany them, it's also important to avoid overconsumption of caffeine itself.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends that healthy adults limit caffeine consumption to no more than 400 milligrams daily; equivalent to about four small cups of coffee.

"Healthy children and adolescents over the age of 12 can safely consume up to 100 milligrams of caffeine per day," says Temple. However, the effects of caffeine in this younger population are less studied than for adults, so "research targeting this demographic is in progress, fueled by increased concerns surrounding energy drink consumption," says Cornelis.

( ‘A forest on caffeine’? How coffee can help forests grow faster )

Experts discourage caffeine consumption in children under age 12.

Though many adults tolerate amounts beyond these daily limits, there are harms associated with ingesting too much caffeine too frequently. These include poor sleep quality, shakiness, vomiting, fast heart rate, low potassium levels, irritability, headache, restlessness, and anxiety.

Studies show that caffeine can also be habit forming and has some long-term adverse effects . These include "an increased risk of hypertension, pre-diabetes, kidney disease and heart disease in some people who consume several cups of coffee per day," says Ahmed El-Sohemy, a professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Toronto.

Caffeine can be especially dangerous at very high levels.

The FDA warns that seizures may occur when one consumes as much as 1,200 milligrams of caffeine too quickly, something that can occur when one drinks too many super-caffeinated beverages, takes caffeine pills, or consumes the powdered form of the stimulant; a single teaspoon of which can contain the same amount of caffeine as 28 cups of coffee. “Pure and highly concentrated caffeine products present a significant public health threat and have contributed to at least two deaths in the United States,” the health agency notes.

Who is most vulnerable?

There's also increased risk for people with certain medical conditions.

People with diabetes, for instance, should exercise caution when consuming caffeine as the stimulant has been shown to alter the way sugar is metabolized—lowering insulin sensitivity and increasing glucose concentration.

People with chronic liver disease may also be more sensitive to its effects “due to impaired ability to metabolize caffeine,” says Adrienne Hughes, an emergency physician and medical toxicologist at Oregon Health and Science University. And the American Heart Association warns people with severe hypertension (blood pressure of 160/100 mm Hg or higher) to avoid drinking even modest amounts of caffeine, as just two or more cups of coffee per day has been associated “with twice the risk of death from cardiovascular disease” in such individuals.

Caffeine is also recommended against for people who feel heartburn frequently, especially in those who experience extreme acid reflux such as individuals diagnosed with GERD.

Expectant moms may also want to limit caffeine consumption because the stimulant has been shown to cause blood vessels in the placenta and uterus to constrict, which could reduce blood supply to the fetus and thereby inhibit growth.

"There is now substantial evidence that caffeine consumption by mothers during pregnancy may slow the growth of the fetus and even increase the risk of miscarriage," says van Dam.

Warning labels and regulations

Because of the risks associated with overconsumption, the nutritional scientists say companies ought to be more transparent about the quantity of caffeine contained in various products.

Regarding the wrongful death lawsuits, for instance, each alleges that, at the time, the “charged lemonade” beverage wasn’t advertised as containing very high amounts of caffeine. Because of cases like these, van Dam says, "more can be done to ensure clear labeling of the amount of caffeine in beverages that are not obvious sources of caffeine."

This isn't as much of an issue with soft drinks, as laws in the U.S. don't allow   any cola-type beverage to exceed a limit of 200 parts per million of caffeine (.02 percent), but laws and regulations change for energy drink brands such as Red Bull, Monster, and Rockstar.

"Energy drinks, which are highly caffeinated, are not regulated by the FDA as they are considered supplements and not beverages," says Temple. "This loophole allows energy drink companies to add as much caffeine as they want." Because of this, she believes there should be age limits on the purchase of all energy drinks. "Other countries have done this, but the United States has not."

Related Topics

  • FOOD CULTURE

can too much homework be bad

How these two vitamin supplements could do more harm than good

can too much homework be bad

No food or medicine can do what olive oil can do. Here's why.

can too much homework be bad

Some vitamins and minerals simply work better when eaten together

can too much homework be bad

Do you want to eat more veggies in 2024? Read this.

can too much homework be bad

The Mediterranean diet has stood the test of time for a reason: It works

  • Environment

History & Culture

  • History Magazine
  • History & Culture
  • Race in America
  • Photography
  • Mind, Body, Wonder
  • Paid Content
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Your US State Privacy Rights
  • Children's Online Privacy Policy
  • Interest-Based Ads
  • About Nielsen Measurement
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
  • Nat Geo Home
  • Attend a Live Event
  • Book a Trip
  • Inspire Your Kids
  • Shop Nat Geo
  • Visit the D.C. Museum
  • Learn About Our Impact
  • Support Our Mission
  • Advertise With Us
  • Customer Service
  • Renew Subscription
  • Manage Your Subscription
  • Work at Nat Geo
  • Sign Up for Our Newsletters
  • Contribute to Protect the Planet

Copyright © 1996-2015 National Geographic Society Copyright © 2015-2024 National Geographic Partners, LLC. All rights reserved

IMAGES

  1. Why Homework Is Bad

    can too much homework be bad

  2. Study: Too Much Homework Can Take A Toll On Children’s Health

    can too much homework be bad

  3. New Study Finds Excessive Homework Harms Kids

    can too much homework be bad

  4. 😊 Negative effects of too much homework. Infographic: How Does Homework

    can too much homework be bad

  5. Too Much Homework

    can too much homework be bad

  6. Ten Reasons Why Homework Is a Bad Idea

    can too much homework be bad

COMMENTS

  1. Why Homework is Bad: Stress and Consequences

    Is Too Much Homework Bad for Kids' Health? Research shows that some students regularly receive higher amounts of homework than experts recommend, which may cause stress and negative...

  2. Is it time to get rid of homework? Mental health experts weigh in

    Mental health experts agree heavy work loads have the potential do more harm than good for students, especially when taking into account the impacts of the pandemic. But they also say the answer...

  3. More than two hours of homework may be counterproductive, research

    Education scholar Denise Pope has found that too much homework has negative impacts on student well-being and behavioral engagement (Shutterstock) More than two hours of homework may be counterproductive, research suggests

  4. Stanford research shows pitfalls of homework

    A Stanford researcher found that students in high-achieving communities who spend too much time on homework experience more stress, physical health problems, a lack of balance and even alienation from society. More than two hours of homework a night may be counterproductive, according to the study. By Clifton B. Parker

  5. Is it time to get rid of homework? Mental health experts weigh in

    Mental health experts agree heavy workloads have the potential do more harm than good for students, especially when taking into account the impacts of the pandemic. But they also say the answer may...

  6. Is homework a necessary evil?

    In fact, too much homework can do more harm than good.

  7. Homework Pros and Cons

    Research published in the High School Journal indicated that students who spent between 31 and 90 minutes each day on homework "scored about 40 points higher on the SAT-Mathematics subtest than their peers, who reported spending no time on homework each day, on average." [ 6]

  8. Too much homework can be counterproductive

    Too much homework can be counterproductive | Penn State University Instead of improving educational achievement in countries around the world, increases in homework may actually undercut teaching effectiveness and worsen disparities in student learning, according to two Penn State researchers.

  9. Is Too Much Homework Unhealthy?

    Is Too Much Homework Unhealthy? A grassroots movement led by parents is backed by science. Posted October 10, 2014 This is the question at the heart of the homework debate. The Washington...

  10. Homework: An Hour a Day Is All the Experts Say

    Too much homework can be counterproductive. The study examined the performance of 7,725 public and private school students (mean age 13.78 years).

  11. How Much Homework Is Too Much for Our Teens?

    Wellness Home How Much Homework Is Too Much for Our Teens? Here's what educators and parents can do to help kids find the right balance between school and home. By Raychelle Cassada...

  12. Should We Get Rid of Homework?

    Oct. 26, 2022 Do you like doing homework? Do you think it has benefited you educationally? Has homework ever helped you practice a difficult skill — in math, for example — until you mastered...

  13. GoodTherapy

    The Stressed Brain. Even when homework is well-designed and does foster learning, too much of it can be damaging. Children who have more than one hour of homework each night overwhelmingly report ...

  14. The Homework Myth: Why Our Kids Get Too Much of a Bad Thing

    The books use published research to support their claims that not only is homework's efficacy suspect, but also that homework can be harmful. The Homework Myth: Why Our Kids Get Too Much of a Bad Thing - Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

  15. Do our kids have too much homework?

    Bottom line: students have too much homework and most of it is not productive or necessary." Research about homework How do educational researchers weigh in on the issue? According to Brian Gill, a senior social scientist at the Rand Corporation, there is no evidence that kids are doing more homework than they did before.

  16. Does homework still have value? A Johns Hopkins education expert weighs

    The necessity of homework has been a subject of debate since at least as far back as the 1890s, according to Joyce L. Epstein, co-director of the Center on School, Family, and Community Partnerships at Johns Hopkins University. "It's always been the case that parents, kids—and sometimes teachers, too—wonder if this is just busy work ...

  17. How Much Homework Is Too Much?

    It affects children's creativity, their social skills, and even their brain development. The absence of play, physical exercise, and free-form social interaction takes a serious toll on many...

  18. Does Homework Really Help Students Learn?

    Yes, and the stories we hear of kids being stressed out from too much homework—four or five hours of homework a night—are real. That's problematic for physical and mental health and overall well-being. But the research shows that higher-income students get a lot more homework than lower-income kids.

  19. The Pros and Cons: Should Students Have Homework?

    1. Homework Encourages Practice Many people believe that one of the positive effects of homework is that it encourages the discipline of practice. While it may be time consuming and boring compared to other activities, repetition is needed to get better at skills.

  20. Is Homework Necessary? Education Inequity and Its Impact on Students

    "Their findings were troubling: Research showed that excessive homework is associated with high stress levels, physical health problems and lack of balance in children's lives; 56% of the students in the study cited homework as a primary stressor in their lives," according to the CNN story.

  21. Homework anxiety: Why it happens and how to help

    Quick tip 1 Try self-calming strategies. Try some deep breathing, gentle stretching, or a short walk before starting homework. These strategies can help reset the mind and relieve anxiety. Quick tip 2 Set a time limit. Give kids a set amount of time for homework to help it feel more manageable.

  22. 18 Reasons Why Homework Is Bad For Students?

    Rather than improving education, a heavy homework load may affect the students' performance. Students have too much stress to complete Homework every other night, which can affect the student's performance in school. A homework load may counter your productivity skills. No Time For Daily Workout. This is the seventeenth reason why Homework ...

  23. Why Too Much Homework can be Harmful for Children?

    Table of Contents How Much Homework Is Too Much and How Lots of Assignments Affect Students' Health? Why Students Need Homework? How Much Homework is Too Much? Negative Affect of Too Much Homework How Parents May Help Children Who Have Too Much Homework? Figure Out the Problem Check if Your Child is Focused on Homework

  24. Too Much of This B Vitamin Could Be Bad for Your Heart

    If niacin is consumed in high doses through supplements, it can lead to toxicity which can potentially cause digestive symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and even liver damage. Niacin , also known as vitamin B3, is made and used by your body to help convert foods that you eat into the energy you need. However, you can have too much of a good thing ...

  25. Why your auto and home insurance premiums are surging : NPR

    A car remains in the wreckage after a house and garage were abruptly destroyed by a landslide as an atmospheric river storm inundates the Hollywood Hills area of Los Angeles on Feb. 6, 2024. A ...

  26. What is the current national debt, how can the U.S. get out of debt

    The bad news is, nothing at all needs to happen for government debt to become the economic issue of the next decade—and it'll be pretty unavoidable once it gets here. And if you're wondering ...

  27. Can too much music be bad for your mental health?

    Kesha Bares All in First Tease of Post-Dr. Luke Era Music: 'First Day I've Owned My Voice in 19 Years'. It's time to face the music. Experts share their insights on the impact music has on ...

  28. Did You Know Eating Too Much Protein Can Cause Bad ...

    Foods rich in protein include: Meat, including beef, lamb, pork, and poultry. Fish, such as tuna, salmon, and sardines. Eggs. Dairy products, like milk, yoghurt, and cheese. In addition to protein ...

  29. Six Key Questions Ahead of Biden's State of the Union

    State of the Union addresses typically generate much less interest. Last year, about 27.3 million people watched Mr. Biden's speech live on television, down 29 percent from the year before .

  30. You actually can consume too much caffeine. Here are the risks

    Experts discourage caffeine consumption in children under age 12. Though many adults tolerate amounts beyond these daily limits, there are harms associated with ingesting too much caffeine too ...