Sleep is one of the most important components of growth and development. Yet, between academic and social commitments, most adolescents seem to overlook it. Many teens hence miss out on the necessary amount of sleep required for function and health.
Sleep deprivation may appear to pose a minor issue, however its consequences affect so much more than a person’s level of energy. It can affect academic performance, mental wellbeing, physical health and multiple other aspects of a teen’s life. This makes it crucial to create awareness for the cost of sleep deprivation to ensure individuals can better understand the necessity of sleep.
The Importance of Sleep
Specifically in teens, sleep is the key towards emotional, physical, social, and mental development. Getting the recommended 8-10 hours of sleep through these years of an individual's life is essential for development and daily functions. The most crucial aspects of a teen’s life involve their academics, physical health and social life. All these components are heavily influenced by sleep.
The Relationship Between Sleep, Academic Performance, Emotional Wellbeing and Physical Growth:
- Academic Performance: Promotes attention and memory. It allows more comprehensive thinking. Teens lacking sleep tend to struggle in focus.
- Emotional Wellbeing: Sufficient sleep maintains your mood. Sleep deprived teens tend to face more mental health challenges.
- Physical Growth: Sleep contributes to numerous essential bodily functions. Including the immune system and the recovery of muscle. Lack of sleep will heighten the risk for health troubles throughout an individual's life.
Moreover, attention and focus are key components for academic success and emotional wellbeing is crucial to maintain social connections and make new ones. Sleep is vital to every facet of an adolescent's life.
The Cause and Impact of Sleep Deprivation
Sleep deprivation for many adolescents varies between a conscious choice and a requirement. Between juggling an education and relationships, many teens lose sleep without realizing the impact it has on their life.
Causes:
Teens often lead full lives and tend to get swamped between their plans, hence there are many factors that can be associated with their sleep deprivation.
- Screen Time - Usage of smartphones and other electronic devices reduce sleep time. A study done by the Sleep Health Foundation proved that individuals who tend to not use their phones at least an hour before going to bed, gained an additional 21 minutes of sleep.
- After-school - Between sports, studies, projects and other school related activities, students may be overworked and hence have to take time away from their sleep to complete their commitments.
- Leisure - Entertainment derived from television or other forms of media provide dopamine to teens. This keeps them engaged for long periods making them disconnected. This hence may lead to them losing crucial hours of sleep.
- Social Activities - Similar to leisure, conversations with peers or plans to connect may bleed late into the night, This gives less time for teens to get the rest that they require.
Impacts:
Sleep deprivation’s impacts are more severe than individuals may think. A lot of the time the effect is a chain reaction that leads to broader complications.
- Injuries - Fatigue and lack of concentration often leads to injuries and accidents. Lack of attention on the road or in a sport can cause serious harm.
- Mood - Studies have shown that lack of sleep disrupts a teen’s ability to regulate their emotions. This can lead to issues with relationships or even create issues in academics as the symptoms produced by lack of sleep can resemble those created by ADHD.
- Substance - Research has shown that teens who do not get sufficient sleep often rely on other substances such as caffeine or nicotine to get the energy they need for the day. They have also been proven to engage in more risky behaviour as a result of the deprivation.
Teens often do not comprehend the importance that sleep holds in their life. But there are many tips that can aid a teen in sleep. Between avoiding caffeine and electronics late into the night and setting a pre-sleep routine, there are many tips and solutions that can easily be implemented to ensure that adolescents are getting the sleep they need to prosper.
Sources:
- https://www.sleepfoundation.org/teens-and-sleep
- https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/all-childrens-hospital/services/pediatric-and-adolescent-medicine/healthy-weight-initiative/ages-12-17/why-sleep-is-important-for-teens
- https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/teenagers-and-sleep
- https://childmind.org/article/happens-teenagers-dont-get-enough-sleep/