Teens and waking up for school, Effects of not getting enough sleep, and useful strategies to get more sleep

It is healthy for everybody to get a lot of sleep, but it is especially important for teenagers. According to parent-teen.com, while a healthy amount of sleep for an adult is 8 hours, a healthy amount for a teenager is is 9.25 hours. Biological changes in the body when going through puberty causes a teen to not be able to fall asleep as early as when they were younger. The site states that "Adolescents don't feel hormonally sleepy until 11 or 12. It has to do with circadian rhythms that govern every cell in the body. There are no management techniques that can change basic cellular rhythms." A lot of teenager's schools start at around 7:30. If a teen wanted to get the proper amount of sleep, he would have to go to bed at 9:00 PM. This time is very unrealistic for reasons stated earlier. Because teens aren't getting the right amount of sleep, it effects there attentiveness in class as well as there grades. It Limits ones ability to learn, listen, concentrate and solve problems. This lack of sleep is more blame on the schools than the teens going there. 

When one does not get enough sleep, they are more likely to have an accident, injury or illness. According to sleepfoundation.org, drowsiness and falling asleep at the wheel cause more than 100,000 car crashes every year. This especially effects the inexperienced teenager drivers.  Not get sleep causes teens to be more prone to getting pimples and acne. An essay on bookrags.com states that having no sleep impairs your decision making abilities. It can cause you to be excessively aggressive or inpatient with your peers, teachers and family members. 


When one gets the right amount of sleep, their physical and mental well being are in much better shape. There are a few things that one can do to help them fall asleep. First, don't have any caffeine, soda or chocolate close to when you go to bed. You shouldn't eat or drink much in the hour before you go to bed. Napping at the right times during the day can help your sleep patterns greatly. Sleepfoundation.org says that you should "Establish a bed and wake-time and stick to it, coming as close as you can on the weekends. A consistent sleep schedule will help you feel less tired since it allows your body to get in sync with its natural patterns. You will find that it’s easier to fall asleep at bedtime with this type of routine."  Try not to talk on the phone, go on the computer or watch TV before bed, it busies your mind too much. Try something more calming like reading. Try jotting down everything on your mind onto a piece of paper before you go to bed, it will keep you from staying awake in bed thinking and worrying. Doing all of these things will help you go to sleep much faster and help yo feel more awake in school and everyday life.

Main Sources:
http://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/sleep-topics/teens-and-sleep


http://www.bookrags.com/essay-2006/6/2/84733/65153

http://www.parent-teen.com/yourbody/sleep.html