Do Teens Really Get Enough Sleep
In today’s fast paced world, sleep deprivation in teens has become a pressing concern. From academic concern, to sports practices, to social obligations, many teens find themselves sacrificing hours of sleep in order to try and succeed.
On average teens need 8-10 hours of sleep, however All Saints students stated that they only get about 7-9 hours, but the students with larger work loads are only getting 5-7 hours.
When asked what was the main reason for their lack of sleep, they stated that their school workload and extracurriculars have them. Because of this lack of sleep 59% of All Saints students do not feel well rested and 40% require caffeine or some type of energy to get them through the day.
When the students responded most of them stated that most of them are just out late at night. Isa Rodriguez, class of 2025, stated that her extracurriculars “affect the ability to get home earlier and thus I’m not able to do my tasks at home in a timely manner”
Sleep deprivation in Teens is becoming an epidemic. According to Better Health Gov many teens are losing sleep over their devices, extracurriculars, sleep disorders, and light exposure.
While yes, many extracurriculars affect sleep, the workload teens receive can also be a lot. Personally, after school I either have soccer or work, and then I typically have at least 4 assignments to do, and study for AP tests.
In order to have enough sleep and energy to get through the day, kidshealth.org suggest being active throughout the day, avoiding caffeine near bedtime, saying goodnight to electronics, having a sleep routine, and expecting a good night’s sleep.
Vivian Dial, class of 2027, suggests that trying to go to sleep earlier could help teens. With maybe just an extra 2-3 hours of sleep, teens could begin thriving and excelling at their everyday activities.
With these new tips in mind, and the awareness of how to get better sleep, maybe you can make these tips known, and focus on your sleep in order to succeed academically, athletically, and mentally.
