In this technological age, fewer and fewer people are going to bed on time. Since the invention of the lightbulb, sleep deprivation and sleep debt have drastically increased. Sleep deprivation can have a long list of different negative impacts on both the body and the mind.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, not getting enough sleep can increase a person’s risk for type II diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Studies have shown that a person not getting enough sleep may even shorten their lifespan. In addition to this, not getting enough sleep weakens the immune system and may put a sleep-deprived person at higher risk for contagious diseases.
Lack of sleep also negatively affects mental health. The National Institutes of Health has linked a lack of sleep to an increase in cortisol levels during the day. Cortisol is the primary stress hormone, and an excess of it for a prolonged period can lead to weight gain, acne, and fatigue. It can also have some major impacts on the mind.
Not only does cortisol increase stress and anxiety, but because cortisol slows functions that would be nonessential in a fight-or-flight situation, a spike in cortisol also increases the risk of having a panic attack.
Teenagers are the ones most impacted by sleep deprivation.
The average student is supposed to get at least nine hours of sleep every night. According to a survey sent to the students of Highlands, more than half of students get 6 hours of sleep or less. Moreover, only 12% of students reported that they got more than 8 hours of sleep per night.
Highlands students reported that the leading causes of their lack of sleep were schoolwork, school-related stress, extracurriculars/sports, and technology.
Sophomore Bailey O’Day said: “I feel so exhausted after coming home from practice at 9:00 or 9:30, and then I still have to do school work so I don’t go to bed until after 11:00.”
O’Day also explained how not getting enough sleep on these nights makes them feel. They added: “It can make me kind of irritable the next day… sometimes I tend to accidentally snap at people.”
Teen sleep debt does not go unnoticed. Despite students’ sorry attempts to mask their exhaustion with energy drinks and makeup, many teachers notice the grogginess of their students.
Nina Kearns, a psychology teacher at Highlands sees the effect of a lack of sleep every day. As the psychology teacher, she also gets a unique opportunity to discuss the topic with her students.
Kearns expressed her concern with the topic. She feels the most concerning part of teen sleep deprivation is the impact it has on a student’s mental health. She explained how a lack of sleep can add to a teenage student’s already unsteady emotional balance: “I think the enormous amount of highs and lows seem even more extreme, and I would pinpoint that to sleep…”
Kearns also touched on the importance of educating students about sleep. She added: “I can’t really force you to sleep, all I can do is give you all the information to say these are the short-term and long-term costs you are causing yourself.”
In all, steps can be taken to improve the possibility and opportunities teenagers have to sleep, but it is up to the students themselves to make a difference in their sleep habits.
