The Importance of Sleep
A good night’s sleep is an extremely paranormal concept. When I don’t get a good night’s sleep I generally feel more tired, my body moves slower, my brain processes slower, etc. When I don’t get a good night’s sleep it affects my ability to perform in any circumstance. However, this is just my experience.
Why teens need more sleep than kids:
According to Micheal Crocetti a pediatrician at John Hopkins says that teens need about 9 - 9 1/2 hours of sleep per night. More than they needed at age 10. He says the reason we need more sleep is because we as teens are going through a second developmental stage of cognitive maturation. Moreover, additional sleep benefits your brain development. But how can we get enough sleep with all our day-to-day activities? Teens have to learn an effective balance with sports, school, jobs, relationships, chores, extracurriculars, etc. While balancing other things, sleep usually falls at the bottom of the priority list, however, it’s crucial to remember that you should be getting at least 8 hours of sleep each night.
Physical Health:
During adolescence, you go through extreme development and growth. Most of this development and growth happens during sleep when a growth hormone is released. This hormone is essential for muscle growth, tissue repair, and physical development. Sensible sleep is also essential for your immune system. Teens who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to get illnesses such as flu and cold. Sleep deprivation also compromises their immune system making it harder for them to fight illnesses.
Sleep also has an impact on cognitive functions such as memory, problem solving, and attention. This affects a teens ability to perform better academically, ultimately making them either not do well in school; or have to study the material to an extreme extent to recall the content they didn’t retain originally. Lack of sleep can impair concentration making it more difficult to focus in class.
Mental Health:
Teens who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to engage in risky behaviors such as reckless driving, substance abuse, and unsafe sexual activity. Sleep deprivation impairs judgment and decision making, increasing the likelihood of taking unnecessary risks. Lack of sleep can also lead to accidents and injuries. Sleep-deprived teens are more likely to be involved in car accidents, sports injuries, and other incidents that can result from impaired motor skills and slower reaction times.
Being a teenager is a time of heightened emotions and stress. Sleep helps with this by regulating mood and emotional responses. Sleep deprived teens are more likely to experience mood swings, irritability, and even anxiety and depression. Getting enough sleep can help stabilize emotions and overall just improve mental health.
Sleep is not a luxury but a necessity, especially for teenagers. It is foundational to their physical health, cognitive function, and emotional well-being. By prioritizing sleep and adopting healthy sleep habits, teens can set themselves up for success both now and in the future.
Written by: Chloe