years are a difficult time in a person's life that bring a number of challenges along with them one of the most serious challenges of all is getting enough sleep but the question is how much sleep do teens actually need experts consistently say that teenagers need an average of 9 hours of sleep every night however as little as only 3% of teens are actually getting 9 hours the majority of teenagers are only getting 7 hours of sleep creating a largely sleep priv team ulation sleep deprivation whether you actually feel it or not has a number of
serious negative effects teens who get less sleep are more likely to be overweight make unhealthy food choices have concentration and attention difficulties leading to lower grades in school less sleep also decreases your coordination and athletic ability makes it hard to regulate emotions leading to more anxiety stress sadness or even depression sleep deprived teens are also more likely to engage in risk-taking behaviors like drinking alcohol and using drugs as well drowsy driving is the number one cause of car accidents among teens on the other hand consistently getting the recommended 9 hours of sleep helps the brain
get the rest it needs leading to improve brain development better memory and even better grades in school getting 9 hours of sleep also helps the brain regulate emotions leading to better moods less stress and more energy more sleep also helps keep you healthy more sleep is linked to a stronger immune system so you don't get sick as often as well more sleep leads to making healthier food choices a healthier body weight and improved athletic abilities so if sleep is so important then why aren't teens getting enough well during adolescence around age 13 a biological change
happens Shifting The Sleep Cycle so teens don't feel tired until about 11:00 p.m. as opposed to 9:00 p.m. in childhood this shift along with more technological distractions like cell phones social media and TVs keeping the brain alert makes it hard to fall asleep these factors then paired with the early school start times make it nearly impossible for teens to get the sleep that they need that being said there are a number of things that teens can do to try to get more sleep first it is important to create a regular sleep schedule trying not to
deviate bed times or wakeup Times by more than 2 to 3 hours even on the weekends number two create a sleep routine to help your mind relax telling your brain it's time for sleep you can do this by turning off TVs cell phones and social media and instead try listening to music stretching or reading a book before trying to sleep number three create a sleep environment a place with a cool temperature a comfortable mattress as well as turning off lights and any noise may make it easier to fall asleep next try to avoid caffeine especially
later in the day so this means coffee some teas energy drinks and PW also avoid alcohol although it may seem to help you sleep it actually worsens the Sleep Quality also try to avoid long naps so no more than 30 minutes and not later in the afternoon or night and finally avoid eating large meals 2 to 3 hours before trying to sleep the final tip is to exercise regularly exercise has been found to improve sleep especially if you exercise earlier in the day and at a higher intensity overall sleep is essential to feeling your best
and one of the most important things we can do for our health so do yourself a favor and get some sleep if you need more information you can check online at the national sleep Foundation either online or in person with your local public health unit or see your family doctor to help you get the N9 hours of sleep that you need
