The Importance of Sleep

Steps to Increase
Sleep Habits

The steps I would take to increase
or improve my sleep would include
the following:

1) Cut off distractions before bedtime
(specifically social media or phone usage)
2) Help myself "unwind" before sleeping (have
any stresses taken care of, taking a hot shower,
drinking tea or water, reducing room temp. etc..)
3) Have a set alarm to stay consistent waking up,
even on weekends (this would force me to go to
bed early if the next day I wouldn't have an extra
hour to sleep in)
4) This is something I already do, but if I was just
starting to take my sleep seriously, I would cut off
any caffeine intake because it increases stress
hormones and slows the production of melatonin
which is essential in the sleep process.

Current Sleep Practices

My current sleep habits
are much healthier than they used
to be. I go to bed early now (always
around 10) and now I'm able to wake
up without an alarm clock. I used to go
to bed around 2-3 am in middle school
because I thought it wouldn't affect me
but it really did, especially negatively.

Some unhealthy examples- My head always hurt
whenever I'd pull an all-nighter or go to bed
late. I felt energized but I realized that
when it got to the end of the day, my body
ached everywhere and all I wanted to do was sleep,
but then I would just repeat the cycle.

Some healthy examples- Now that I've fixed
my sleep schedule and value sleep itself, I can
confidently say that I don't struggle with nearly
as many headaches anymore and I am always
energized, whether it be in the morning or the night.
I can still stay up late when needed but it doesn't
impact how I feel/act like how it used to.

Sources

Summer, J. (2023, June 27). 8 health benefits of sleep. Sleep Foundation. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/benefits-of-sleep

Kirszenblat, L., & van Swinderen, B. (2015, December). The Yin and Yang of sleep and attention. Trends in neurosciences. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4803435/#:~:text=Sleep%20deprivation%20is%20known%20to,sleep%20need%20and%20sleep%20intensity.

Vitti, A. (2022, September 23). Should women quit caffeine? this hormone expert says Coffee & Hormones don’t mix. mindbodygreen. https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/why-women-shouldnt-drink-coffee#:~:text=Caffeine%20can%20disrupt%20your%20hormonal%20cascade.&text=Caffeine%20itself%20can%20cause%20your,body’s%20ability%20to%20regulate%20inflammation.

The Benefits of Sleep

Sleep is a very beneficial thing and
supplies our minds and bodies with more
than one would think.

1) Improved Mood- During sleep, our body
heals and regenerates itself, leading to a healthier,
more energized feeling when we wake up.
2) Physical Benefits- Sleep also aids in muscle restoration
and the production of growth hormones which can help repair tissue. Not only our muscular system, but our immune
system is also heavily reliant on sleep, cytokines released to help fight off infections and restore cells.
3- Stress relief- It's not a surprise that sleep can help decrease
stress and anxiety because when we sleep, our stress hormone, cortisol, is in active decline.
4) Memories and attention skills are probably the biggest
benefits when it comes to sleep. Memories are processed and stored long term during sleep as well as our minds as a whole, meaning that during waking hours, it is easier to retain knowledge and focus.

Ideal Sleep Practices
for Teens

Sleep for teens is extremely important
because growth and development is
especially active in that period of life
and destroying one's sleep schedule can
very negatively impact mental health
(anxiety, stress, brain rot) and
physical health (hormone imbalances,
fatigue, muscle/skin restoration..).

Ideal Practices-
1) Getting at least 7 hours a night
2) Cutting off phone usage 1-2 hours
before actual bedtime
3) Staying consistent with waking up and
falling asleep times
4) Avoiding naps during the day unless
absolutely necessary
5) Make sure the bedroom is a relaxing
space (don't do homework in bed, keep
stresses out, etc.)

The Value of Sleep
In My Life

I'm not just saying this because
it was a unit in our course, but I
think sleep is my favorite thing to
happen in my day. I have bouts
of insomnia that come back during
random times of my life so sleep
has become very important to me,
especially because sometimes I can't
have it, even if I try. I'll probably always
put sleep as a top priority in my life just
because it has improved my health
tremendously as well as my overall mood.