The Importance of Sleep

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The Importance of Sleep

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.

Ideal Sleep Practices for Teens

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.)

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..).

The Benefits of Sleep

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.

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

Sources

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.

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.

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

Current Sleep Practices

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.

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.

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.

Steps to Increase Sleep Habits

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.

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