India, June 26 -- A major new study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders finds that homework can support learning - but only up to a very clear limit. Beyond that point, it begins to harm sleep, mood, and overall mental health.
Researchers analyzed data from nearly 69,000 students and found that as homework hours increased, sleep consistently decreased, and this sleep loss partly explained the rise in anxiety and emotional distress. The relationship wasn't linear: homework helped until a threshold, then sharply reversed.
The study identified optimal daily homework limits:
1 hour for primary students, 1.3 hours for middle school, and 2.3 hours for high school. Exceeding these levels was linked to poorer mental-health scores and...