Sleep is something everyone needs to survive; something that makes humans function. Teenagers have to deal with stress from school assignments along with the idea that in a few years they’re going to become an adult. Stress is one of the main causes for terrible sleep schedules, but there are many other reasons.
Teenagers need approximately 8-10 hours of sleep each night because their bodies are developing. Studies have shown that teens are not getting their daily recommended amount of sleep even though it’s extremely important for their body and brain to function during the day. According to this study, without a full night of sleep teens can suffer, from sleep deprivation, trouble concentrating, mood swings, hyperactivity, nervousness and aggressive behavior.
Lack of sleep can be caused by many things. Besides school, it can be caused by our own biological clocks, a regular cycle which makes us get in a routine of waking up and falling asleep. Drinking caffeine or sleeping in/going to sleep late can ruin the routine and cause sleep issues. A study by researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School say the colour blue can make people more alert and awake. The colour changes the brain activity with patterns that indicate a more alert state. Some teenagers that use the apps Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr regularly before bed may have sleep issues because of the colour and format of these apps.
There are many ways to better one’s sleeping schedule; it can be as easy eating dinner at an earlier time, as your body needs at least two to three hours to digest meals before sleep. Waking up at the same time helps your biological alarm clock and eventually helps one automatically wake up, but usually going to the bed at the same time every night is important too. Naps can also make up for loss of sleep but napping over an hour can mess up one’s sleep schedule even more.
“Stressing to get homework done, but procrastinating until you have to stay up late to finish it can really affect one’s sleep. School in general is stressful and causes lack of sleep, and most teens need more sleep than adults or children but we seem to get the least,” said grade 11 student Meg Ursaki. Procrastination affects many teenagers, but trying to stop procrastinating is hard and another cause of stress. Sleep is a necessity for everyone especially among youth. Getting a good night’s sleep is important for teenagers as it affects their brain and body and even education.
