Thinking about staying up all night and cramming for your Chemistry test? Or watching the basketball game instead of writing your paper? Think twice! As Charles Dickens once stated, “Procrastination is the thief of time,” or in this case, the “thief” of sleep.
High schoolers sleep? Never heard of such a thing. Today, students are overwhelmed with homework, tests, after-school activities, and more. They are constantly worried or stressed about something and often find themselves getting as little as six to seven hours of sleep when they really need nine. Why is this? School is one aspect of it but it is not the only reason students don’t get enough sleep. According to The Washington Post, the average teen spends about one-third of their day on a screen or about nine hours. Technology is a big part of everyone’s lives, however, there should and must be a limit. Spending most of the day on Instagram, Snapchat, Netflix, and other applications is slowly deteriorating students’ health.
Some students may think that sleeping is pointless, or a waste of time and that they could be doing better things. In reality, sleeping is essential to your health and wellbeing. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a lack of sleep puts you at a higher risk for diabetes, obesity, behavioral problems, a lower attention span, and poor mental health. In addition, participaction.com, a parenting website, explains that too much screen time can lead to teens having less energy, poor sleeping habits, and are more likely to show symptoms of anxiety and depression. In other words, teens are, “less healthy and less happy.”
How can students get more sleep? For one, it is recommended that teens only spend about two hours on their phones and that they sleep for about nine to nine and a half hours nightly. There are many ways to improve your habits and sleeping patterns to achieve this. First, students should try and set aside their electronics and just hone in on what needs to be done. Also, they should try and limit their screen time by setting their phones away at dinner or having screen-free days. Additionally, students may want to improve their sleep patterns by getting into a screen-free bedtime routine and stay consistent with their sleep schedule, both during school days and on the weekend.
All students have the ability to get enough sleep, however, it depends on how willing they are to change their habits and routines for the better. Therefore, if you find yourself unable to sleep, spend some time creating a sleep routine and turn off your devices. You will benefit greatly.