Gina is in high school. She takes multiple honors classes, participates in various extracurricular activities, and does the dishes every other day. With so much to do, she receives 4-6 hours of sleep on a daily basis. Sounds familiar? Well, more than 50% of teens today suffer from sleep deprivation or don’t get the recommended amount of sleep. Factors like schoolwork and full schedules prohibit teens from getting a full eight hours of sleep, affecting their effort in school, driving, and even causing depression.
There are numerous things which affect the amount of sleep teens receive. For example, one of the biggest factors of sleep deprivation is schoolwork and overscheduling. With a pile of homework, extra-curricular activities, and time spent with friends and family, the amount of sleep students and teens get can come down to only five or six hours; in fact, according to a study in 2010 published in The Journal of Adolescent Health, only eight percent of high
First, many specialists recommend setting a regular bedtime. “Going to bed at the same time each night signals to your body that it’s time to sleep” (How Much Sleep do I Need?); even on the weekends it is urged to stick relatively close to your bedtime to ensure you receive the recommended amount of rest. Second, minimizing napping is another way to improve sleep habits. Taking naps for long periods or close to your bedtime can make it harder for you to fall asleep. And lastly, turn on a intense light as soon as you wake up in the morning. Starting your day with something as simple as flicking a light switch can affect you greatly. The bright light tells you body to get going. To summarize, there are many ways to improve teen sleep habits; something as simple as setting a bedtime or turning on the light can help