Do you ever wake up for school and rush out the door without grabbing something to eat and then feel sluggish throughout the day? Well, that’s not just a coincidence. Researchers have proven that eating breakfast in the morning improves mood, memory, and concentration. Breakfast is especially important for high school students who need that extra boost of daily energy.

Despite counterarguments, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Eating something first thing in the morning is breaking the fast from the night and replenishing your body with what it needs to enhance your alertness. Having breakfast is linked to the prevention of heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Fueling your body in the mornings is one of the simplest ways to stay healthy, yet hundreds of teenagers seem to bypass this step.

One of the main reasons students bypass the first meal of the day is because they do not have enough time in the morning. Considering that, teens who do not eat in the A.M have a harder time focusing and staying alert throughout the whole day. Even if it is just a granola bar and an apple, fueling your body before you take on a tough day is vital. Even if you do not have time before school starts, the school cafeteria has a variety of breakfast options for those last-minute munchies.

“I try to eat breakfast every morning. Even if I’m rushed or not hungry I eat something because I know I’ll be hungry later. If not, I feel irritable at school and I notice I do worse in my classes,” junior Abby Garcia stated.

Along with many other students, growing teenagers need the nutrients to thrive. Next time a student thinks about leaving for the bus empty-handed, they should think about their body and the long-term effects of not eating.

Paying attention in school and being able to perform well in athletics connects directly to what you put in your body. No matter the class, having a breakfast boost will enhance your problem-solving skills, energy, temper, and agility. Students in math and science classes who eat breakfast are proven to have higher test scores compared to those who do not. English students show higher reading comprehension skills when they eat before. Even in non-academic classes like P.E, eating a morning meal leads to better athletic performance.

“I am in a weights class this year, so it is very beneficial for me to eat a solid breakfast. I can lift a much heavier weight when I give my body more energy and protein,” sophomore Evan Lawrence stated.

As the Psychology teacher at Air Academy notes, the benefits of eating breakfast directly affects your brain function.

“Not eating breakfast can lead to more inflammation in the brain which can cause poor cognitive functioning, ” Michael Hillstrom noted.

The benefits of eating a good breakfast outweigh the negative, especially for high school students. A meal in the morning will brush up your performance, focus, and energy during the school day. By simply prioritizing an extra five minutes to pour that bowl of cereal, or grab something healthy on the way out, students’ bodies will thank them later and they will not regret the outcome.