Sleep

I don't know about you, but I suspect that most of you were happy to have an extra hour of sleep last night with the time change.  The reality is that we all need to be getting more sleep, but teens especially are in need of far more sleep than you typically get in a night.

I acknowledge that this is easier said than done.  Today you all are pulled in so many different directions – homework, time with your family, sports, jobs, clubs, community service, time with your friends and perhaps even a little personal time to spend on relaxing – and so, unfortunately, sleep typically gets pushed to the back burner and becomes what you do with the little time you have remaining.  This is far from a good thing as sleep is essential to your mental, physical and emotional well-being!

I wish that it was easy to just decide that you wanted to get more sleep and be able to make it happen, but I know that isn’t always the case.  It will take a concentrated effort and a decision that you deem to be significant and worthwhile enough to adjust your sleep schedule.

Not sure if you believe me when I say that sleep is essential?   Here are some articles addressing the importance of sleep.

 

Why are teenagers so sleep deprived?

Teens and Sleep: the cost of sleep deprivation

How to help teenagers get more sleep

Most of all, I just hope you will take advantage of the fact that we have this extra hour of sleep by trying to go to bed at a good time (even just by going to sleep at your normal time when your body might be thinking that you could stay up later) when you wake up in the morning it just might not feel quite so early.  We can always hope at least...