My school week is incredibly busy. I'm usually not home until around 6. During sports seasons I'm even busier. I spend roughly four days a week bowling and during golf season we have practices every day after school. Now add on homework, family time and regular everyday things. How am I supposed to get a full nine hours of sleep?
27% of students say they are "extremely" stressed during the school year as opposed to only 13% during summer break. I'm not surprised. I don't think adults realize how many different ways teenagers are pulled and how many responsibilities we have, which is frustrating.
I'm in my junior year of high school which is known to be the most stressful year for teenagers. I'm constantly logging into PowerSchool, our online gradebook, to check my grades and check that they are still the best they can be. I get letters in the mail from colleges and I'm planning visits for schools that I may attend in roughly two years. It's scary and it definitely gets to me. Sometime I don't want to deal with it, but I know that I have to. It's just exhausting.
It's a well known fact that teenagers and in fact most adults don't get the recommended hours of sleep they should. A teenager should get between eight and ten hours of sleep to develop the best way possible. Only 15% of teens have reported getting eight hours of sleep a night. I know I don't get hours of sleep a night. On a good night I get seven, which isn't too far off, but it could definitely be better.
Irregular sleep patterns and sleeping in late after staying up late can mess up our biological clocks. Irregular sleep can also contribute to a harder time learning and concentrating, increasing your chances of acne, being more prone to snapping and lashing out at friends and family and increase your chance of getting sick.
Sleep is more important than most people realize, which is why we need to make it a priority. Avoid the television and most electronics within the hour of your desired bed time. Have a bedtime routine that you stick to each night so your body realizes that it is getting ready for bed. Make sure your room feels like a sleep haven. Make sure it is dark when you're trying to fall asleep and make it bright when you wake up, signaling the start of a new day to your body.
Some adults don't believe students are stressed. They believe we use it as an excuse to avoid responsibilities. I think this is true in some cases, but in most I believe students truly are stressed. It's a lot of work being a teenager, have responsibilities with family, school, work, after school activities and future college planning.
Being stressed is normal, but actively contributing to your stress is not ok. Make sure you get enough sleep and make sure you relax. Take time to breathe, meditate if you need to. Anything to make sure you stay sane.
Check out more information at these websites:
http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2014/02/teen-stress.aspx
https://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-topics/teens-and-sleep
stay peaceful (and well-rested)!!
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