Volume 11: February 19, 2023
Written/Edited by: Fidha, Mana, and Remi
Sleep Deprivation
Research has found that 74% of all high school students suffer from sleep deprivation due to a variety of factors, from emotional pr mental health issues to the demanding nature of school systems across the globe. This is largely due to a misunderstanding in the circadian rhythm of teenagers, as they tend to be naturally delayed, which leads to later sleep times and wake times. However, school systems do not account for the various hormonal, physical, and cognitive shifts in teenagers, leading to such an increased percentage of sleep deprivation and decrease in the energy of students overall. Sleep deprivation can also be a result of anxiety. As such, this article explores ways to destress before bed for scientifically proven efficient ways to increase your time sleeping.
Research & Findings
Stress can cause many difficulties, and that includes difficulties with going to sleep. Even so, don’t worry—There are many different ways and methods to combat this. One way to relieve stress before bed is meditation. Meditation has a specific focus on making your thoughts come and go without judgment.
By practicing different meditation methods, such as mindfulness meditation, body scan meditation, and guided meditation, it can help relieve stress and relax yourself at night.
Mindfulness meditation is the act of observing your thoughts, feelings, and worries. The main part of this practice is being completely in the present without letting your thoughts wander. Body scan meditation is focusing on each and every part or sensation of your body, and slowly scanning through it.
Guided meditation is when one is guided through something external, like music. There are apps that can help with this, including Breathe, Headspace, and Calm.
Another way of destressing before bed is deep breathing techniques. These techniques are known to instantly calm you down at any moment, including before bed. A popular one is the 4-7-8 method, which is inhaling through your nose for four seconds, holding your breath for seven, and exhaling for eight.
You can also use the pursed lip breathing technique, in which you relax your neck and shoulders, inhale through your nose for two seconds, and exhale through puckered lips for four seconds. Because there are many more breathing techniques, make sure you find the one that works best for you!
There are also other additional, simpler methods to destress before bed. They include making a good sleep environment-(dark with little noise), taking a warm shower/bath before bed-(this helps you relax and lowers your body temperature, which can help you fall asleep faster), and journaling-(writing helps you get your thoughts and worries out in the open). Anyone can feel stressed at any moment, and it can take time to get through this anxiety these sleepless nights. By practicing these de-stressing methods before bed consistently, your worries can become slightly less burdensome and less challenging to handle.
Data
1) The body melatonin later at night in teens in comparison to kids and adults, which resets the body's internal sleep clock so that teens fall asleep and wake up later. [1]
2) Children and adolescents who suffer from sleep deprivation have a higher risk for many health problems. Some include obesity, type 2 diabetes, poor mental health, and injuries. [2]
3) Sleep deprivation is also linked to attention and behavior problems, which can be a contributing factor in poor academic performance in school. [2]
--
Sources:
Gavin, Mary L. (2021, July). Sleep and Your Teen. Nemours Kids Health. https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/sleep-problems.html#:~:text=The%20body%20releases%20the%20sleep,for%20bed%20before%2011%20p.m. [1]
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sleep and Health.
https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/sleep.htm#:~:text=Children%20and%20adolescents%20who%20do,poor%20mental%20health%2C%20and%20injuries.&text=They%20are%20also%20more%20likely,poor%20academic%20performance%20in%20school. [2]
Campbell, Leah (2019, October 8). Is Your Teen Getting Enough Sleep? 73% Don’t. Here’s Why. HealthLine. https://www.healthline.com/health-news/73-of-high-school-students-dont-get-enough-sleep#:~:text=Research%20has%20found%20that%2073,hours%20of%20sleep%20per%20night. [3]
Rekhi, Sukhman. Ways to De-Stress: Activities, Ideas, & Tips. Berkley Well-Being Institute. https://www.berkeleywellbeing.com/de-stress.html [4]
Department of Psychiatry (2018, September 26). Department Faculty Highlight the Role of Adolescent Sleep and Circadian Rhythm Disruptions in Risk of Substance Use Disorders. University of Pittsburgh, https://psychiatry.pitt.edu/news/department-faculty-highlight-role-adolescent-sleep-and-circadian-rhythm-disruptions risk#:~:text=Adolescence%20is%20marked%20by%20several,shifting%20effects%20of%20light%20increases. [5]
Comments