A critical component of teenagers’ health is something we like to do: sleep! A 2015 study by the Centers for Disease Control discovered 70% of high schoolers did not get at least 8 hours of sleep on school nights. So what’s the big deal? Sleep is vital for our mental, physical, and emotional well being.
Sleep aids brain development and growth during the teenage years. Proper sleep increases attention, focus and memory. Sleep also keeps the immune system strong, helps regulate hormones, and allows for muscle recovery. Lack of sleep affects mood, performance in academics and sports and increases the risk of depression, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Not getting enough sleep also leads to drowsy driving, which is just as dangerous as impaired driving.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the National Sleep Foundation say teenagers need 8-10 hours of sleep at night to stay healthy. “A good sleep schedule is one that has good quality, quantity and consistency,” said Dr. Sonal Malhotra, assistant professor of pediatrics – pulmonary and sleep medicine and associate program director of the sleep medicine fellowship at Baylor and Texas Children’s Hospital. “At this age, kids are trying to learn as much as they can while doing extracurriculars and being social, so their sleep time is important for their bodies to relax and reset from the day.” We have numerous activities going on, so we need to be rested and energized.
Why is it so hard to fall asleep? “Teens experience a natural shift in circadian rhythm,” says Johns Hopkins sleep expert Laura Sterni, M.D. “This makes it more difficult for them to fall asleep before 11 p.m.” Teens sleep longer in the morning as a result, which they can’t do during the school year.
Establishing a sleep routine makes it easier to fall asleep. Determine a time to wake up and go to bed and stay consistent. Keep your room cool and dark at night and use a supportive mattress and pillow. Exercising during the day and limiting caffeine in the evenings helps, as well as not using screens before bed, since the blue light emitted from them keeps your body awake. Taking a 30-45 minute nap after school and sleeping an hour longer during the weekends also helps ensure enough sleep.
With summer approaching, try not to get off track with sleep. Teens who dramatically shift their sleep schedule in the summer have a harder time at the start of the school year and may experience daytime sleepiness and feel extra moody. It takes two weeks to develop new sleep habits, so gradually return to a normal sleep schedule before school starts.
Sleep seems like something small, but getting enough sleep makes a huge difference to teenagers’ health. Make sleep a priority, not an afterthought.
