Sleep Your Way to Mental Wellness: Why We Need More Sleep
Written by Thomas S. ‘27
Sleep goes hand in hand to provide a positive and productive tone for the rest of the day. Consequently, what happens when we are deprived of this biological cycle? According to the Columbia University Department of Psychiatry, sleep is a vital rest that helps support numerous brain and bodily functions and in controlling your emotions and behaviors.
According to the 2006 National Sleep Foundation poll, their survey on teen sleep displays more than 87% of high school students in the US are deprived of the recommended 8–10 hours of sleep, and it’s getting worse. This poses a potentially very serious threat to their health, safety and academic success. It also increases the probability that teens will suffer in an academic setting because of the inability to concentrate, learn, and maintain emotional stability.
From SJND student Kieran Brown’s perspective, he states , “Yeah I think sleep’s really important. People rarely get enough sleep, especially high school students, even though its good for mental health, happiness, and productivity.”
Delving even deeper suggests that sleep supports the regulation of cognitive abilities, such as attention span, acquisition of new knowledge, and memory retention. Research from the National Library of Medicine states that sleep loss and insomnia have been found to affect emotional reactivity and social function, which means a poor night’s rest leads to irritability to deal with even the minor perpetrators of stress.
Additionally, sleep deprivation can even affect your physical body. Referencing the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, it states that sleep deficiency is a supporting factor to many of the US’s chronic health problems, such as heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, obesity, and depression.
Learning of these daunting problems that come alongside the deprivation of sleep is concerning, especially for young high school students that come with a higher workload and expectation from classmates, peers, and teachers. Thus, I offer a solution to this epidemic:
STOP PROCRASTINATING AND ASK FOR EXTENSIONS!
If you’re able to adopt a proactive approach, you’ll be able to manage your time more efficiently, reduce stress, and create space for adequate sleep. Seeking extensions when needed allows for a healthier balance between academic demands and the crucial need for a good night’s rest, ultimately maintaining a sustainable and productive learning environment.
