by Dylan Lanier August 28, 2023
I’d like to think that I’m usually pretty healthy. I exercise, eat a balanced diet, and spend a lot of time outdoors. However, my sleep schedule can take some effort.
According to my biology teacher, teenagers should get at least 9 hours of sleep each night. She can’t speak for everyone, but that seems impossible to achieve. School, extracurricular activities, and homework often keep me up in the middle of the night. Want to add time to play with friends? Forget it!
Finding sleep can be hard, and often seems insignificant compared to the chaotic, unorganized nature of our daily lives. But while it might sound absurd for him to spend 9 hours the whole day in Snoozeville, here are my arguments for making sure he gets at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night.
1. put down the phone: I was the first to admit that my cell phone was the source of almost all my distractions. Every time a notification comes, it seems to last 15 minutes with an app specifically designed to focus your attention on TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, and everything else. I feel like I can get everything done 50% faster if I lock my phone in a box. Overhauling your sleep schedule may seem like a big adjustment to your life, but it may simply mean cutting out unnecessary screen time.
2. Look good, feel good: This is self-explanatory. The longer you sleep, the more energy you get during the day. You may feel like you have more energy with less sleep, but that’s just your brain overreacting. Consistent and adequate rest is required to sustain energy. We all know that inescapable exhaustion, like a weight hanging from your eyelids when you just want to nod, like an invisible string trying with all its might to keep you upright. Not only is this state uncomfortable and unhappy, it can also make you feel unmotivated, unproductive, and easily irritable. For tomorrow’s sake, get some sleep. Still don’t believe in the benefits of sleep? This article explains all the ways you can make yourself look healthier.
3. illuminate the limits of your thoughts: Good news for tired teens. It turns out that sleep is as important as studying. Again, courtesy of your biology teacher, your brain uses sleep as a time to process the information it receives during the day and decide what’s worth keeping. The longer you sleep, the more time your brain spends on this process. If you shorten it, it will affect your memory, so it seems that you may be studying too much.
Four. the power of routine: Our bodies are designed to be in balance, and sleep is no exception. It can be turned into a calming and grounding ritual, much like meditation. Following a regular bedtime routine helps your mind and body create a specific sleep schedule. Once you develop a pattern (preferably one that matches your circadian rhythm), sleep becomes a constant part of your life, something you need to cherish and depend on.
Getting more sleep tells your body that it is being cared for. We rarely have the opportunity to give ourselves full attention. Make sleep a part of your life and consciously improve your mental and physical health.
Walking the tightrope between a busy life and enough rest can be very difficult. But with the right focus and positive attitude, it is possible to tackle both daily activities and evening recovery.
Have a topic you’d like us to cover? Email your request to dylanclarklanier@gmail.com.
Dylan Lanier is a senior at Menlo Atherton High School
Stock photo of sleeping teen by freepik.com
