Sleep: Are Teens Getting the Z's They Need?
By Sara Jamison
Most teenagers agree that there are never enough hours in a day. Just think about what we do during a typical day: we go to club meetings, attend school for about seven hours or so, practice a sport afterward, head off to work, get homework done when we get back, and squeeze in time for friends before we head to bed. To get all this done, it seems as though we have to cut back on our sleep. It seems like the only way to add more time to our schedule. I mean, as Jessi Miller, reporter for the Lion’s Roar stated in her article, “the average human being spends one third of his life sleeping.” Imagine what we could do with that one third!
According to the Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement at the University of Minnesota, teenagers require about 9 hours of sleep to eliminate behaviors associated with sleep deprivation. But the Wellspring article concerning teenagers and sleep reported that teenagers get approximately two hours less than they typically need.
Some researchers believe that teenagers bring on the onset of chronic sleep deprivation, but others say we can’t help it. Sleep experts refer to the problem as our circadian rhythm.
“The adolescent’s circadian rhythm means he or she will feel awake later in the evening (through midnight) and unable to fall asleep (even if they go to bed at 9:30, they are not likely to fall asleep til after 11:00),” states an article called “Teens, Sleep, and School." “As they enter puberty, teens experience a hormonal shift that affects their sleep patterns.” In other words, it’s not us! *cheer*
Some school districts have been exploring the idea of starting schools at a later time to adjust to teen’s sleeping needs. (The National Sleep Foundation says to improve teenager’s school performance, school should start at 10 A.M. Yeah, National Sleep Foundation! *grin*) Schools in Minneapolis/St. Paul Minnesota have actually tried this option. What happened? According to a survey conducted of the teachers, students, parents, and administration at these participating schools, students were more alert and focused; the scheduling was flexible to allow students time to get help, study, and catch up on makeup work; parents reported their children were eating breakfast more often, getting more sleep, and being less tense; attendance improved significantly; nurses reported fewer illnesses and complaints concerning stress; and the teachers reported overall satisfaction.
Of course, if you can’t change your school schedule, there are many other options to consider to improve your sleeping habits. There are also daytime tricks to boost your energy and get more done.
- Take on less activities. If you can’t handle three activities or sports, drop one that you can live without.
- Skip naps. Even though that cat nap sounds intriguing, avoid it, because it may cause you to have trouble falling asleep when you really need to.
- Don’t sleep with noise. Avoid stereos or televisions that may disrupt your sleep.
- Be comfortable. If you’re not comfortable where you’re sleeping, you’re more likely to awaken several times during the evening.
- Avoid food and exercise before bed. They boost your metabolism, which prevents sleep.
- Stay away from caffeine. Caffeine stay in your system for about 5 hours, so plan accordingly if your stomach craves a Pepsi.
- Establish a regular sleeping schedule. This will help your biological clock. To keep it the same, don’t sleep in on weekends (even though it’s tempting!)
- Don’t force yourself to sleep. Your body will tell you when it’s ready to hit the sack.
- Expose yourself to bright lights for about 30 minutes upon waking. This will simulate sunshine, telling your body it’s time to get up.
- Make schedules and stick to them. Get what you have to get done without distractions and you’ll find that you have some more time magically appearing in your day.
Remember, these are just some options to get you started. Try some of these for a couple weeks and see how you feel! Perhaps catching those Z’s will re-energize you, and you’d be amazed that you won’t be needing a morning Pepsi to get yourself going!
About the Author:
Sara Jamison may be contacted by email at sarajamison@hotmail.com.
Article courtesy of www.suite101.com.
