ROdown Blog
How does sleep affect our well-being?
Sleep is a very important part of our everyday lives. Evidence shows that teens and adolescents need at least 7-9 hours of sleep per night to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Getting those hours on a regular basis, however, is easier said than done! Our jam-packed schedules filled with school, work, sports, and other extracurricular activities oftentimes drive us to gulp down caffeinated drinks and cut back on hours of sleep. We easily forget to make sleeping a priority, and focus instead on other parts of our busy lives. Even with all of these daily obligations that we’re constantly juggling on our plates, it is crucial to set aside time for sleep. Keeping a normal sleep ritual promotes active functioning of both your mind and body. When you get a full night of rest, you feel more energetic and refreshed the next day.
Every once in a while, we get a poor night’s sleep and wake up in the morning angry at the world. This is because sleep has a direct effect on our mood. If we don’t get enough sleep, we feel groggy, irritable, and cranky, making it nearly impossible to have a productive day. Not only does a bad night’s sleep impact our mood, but it also limits our ability to learn, concentrate, and perform routine tasks. It is essential to make sure we are giving our bodies a sufficient amount of rest at night.
Personally, I had a difficult time regulating my sleep pattern throughout high school. Almost every weekday morning, I found myself pressing the snooze button on my alarm clock at least 3 times before finally crawling out of bed. The act of waking up grew to be such a dreadful task that I decided something had to be done. I would stay up until midnight or later doing homework, watching TV, or chatting with friends online and then wake up around 6:00am to get ready for school. I chose to rearrange my schedule and squeeze in more time for sleep so that I wouldn’t be such a grouchy mess in the morning. After a while my body responded to this healthier sleep cycle, and it got easier to hop out of bed in the morning fully alert and ready to go!
What do you guys do to manage your sleep schedule?
For more info on sleep & wellbeing, check out some of our other resources:
Article by Lauren, ReachOut.com Intern
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1 Comment
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Georgie-
6 months ago
Reply ReportGreat post Lauren!