You need sleep. We all need sleep. Sleep is necessary for living, but we consistently cut ourselves short. Yet, most people would say that they enjoy sleep. Lack of sleep is more detrimental to young people. Johns Hopkins pediatrician Dr. Michael Crocetti says that teens need 9 to 9.5 hours of sleep a night, an hour more than they did at 10 years old, because of a second developmental stage of cognitive maturation and to support growth spurts.
What causes lack of sleep? Often it is because we do not let ourselves shut down. Too much caffeine, particularly in the afternoon or evening, keeps the body from being able to sleep. The American Academy of Pediatrics reports that caffeine use is increasing among adolescents, and this is negatively influencing sleep and other behaviors. Another widely reported reason that we are not sleeping well is overexposure to electronics, to include right before bed. The brightness of our screens mimics the intensity of the light we see during the day and this suppresses melatonin and throws off our circadian rhythms.
What happens if we do not get enough sleep? Quite simply, we do not perform to 100%. Moreso, it affects our health by causing depression, an increased risk of obesity, and higher rates of accidents due to drowsiness. Sleep deprived people tend to have issues controlling mood swings and sometimes make poor decisions.
I encourage you to think about how much sleep you get and consider if that is enough. Take an honest look at caffeine consumption and electronics use and assess if that is negatively impacting your ability to get a good night's rest. It is hard to beat the feeling of waking up rested. Getting good sleep helps you operate at 100%.
I will keep myself physically strong and mentally awake.