Thursday, June 12, 2008

Teens need approximately nine hours of sleep each night to function best. Most teens do not get enough sleep, and only 15% are reported to be sleeping nine hours on school nights. In a recent University of Colorado survey, 82% of high school students reported that they woke up tired and more than 50% had trouble concentrating at school at least once a week. It is common for teenagers to have irregular sleep patterns during the week. Due to schoolwork , friends and stress, they are prone to stay up late on the weekends, which can affect their biological clocks and hurt the quality of their sleep. This leads to many sleep disorders such as narcolepsy, insomnia, restless legs syndrome and sleep apnea.



Sleep deprivation has serious consequences. Inadequate sleep can cause mood and behavioral problems. Not getting enough sleep or having sleep difficulties can limit one's ability to learn, listen, and concentrate, which are all aspects crucial to the life of a teen. It may make one more prone to acne and other skin problems, lead to intolerant behavior and cause one to eat too much or eat unhealthy foods. It also heightens the effects of alcohol and contributes to illness or driving drowsy. The mere act of sleeping longer may reduce the probability of motor vehicle accidents in the community and increase students' test scores.

Kaylyn Reinhold

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