Counting Sheep

Counting Sheep

Since childhood, we have all been told that sleep is super important, but we have never been told why. This article will give you information about why sleep is important, how much you should be getting, and the different stages of sleep, also called your sleep cycle. 

First, you might be asking why sleep is so important. Studies show that sleep is a key part of brain productivity. Sleep improves mood and health, it also helps with learning and memory. While you sleep, your brain sorts what you have done throughout the day and turns it into memories, which helps you learn and retain information. On the other side, if you don’t get enough sleep it could lead to numerous health problems. Some things that could happen are diabetes, heart disease, stroke, depression, obesity, and much more. Psychologists recommend that adolescents between 13-18 should get between  8-10 hours of sleep every night. 

Next, we will talk about the types of sleeping and your sleep cycles. There are two types of sleep. One is called non-REM and the other is called REM or rapid eye momentum. Your body goes through 4 stages of sleep per night and this is called your sleep cycle. The first 3 cycles are non-REM sleep. NREM-1 is when you are first falling asleep referred to as the hypnagogic state and you might experience hallucinations. An example is if you have woken up after you have felt like you are falling. The second stage is NREM-2 which is when you have fully fallen asleep. The third stage is called NREM-3 which is when you are in a deep sleep. NREM-3 is when your heart rate, breathing,

and blood flow slow down the most. You do most of your growing in NREM-3 because this is when your growth hormones are released. The last stage is called REM sleep, this is when you are dreaming. Your heart rate and breathing increase and your eyes move around rapidly, which is where the name rapid eye movement comes from. REM sleep is also called paradoxical sleep, this is when your muscles are relaxed but other body systems are active. Because of this, if you wake up during this stage you could experience sleep paralysis, which is when you are awake but your muscles are limp. A sleep cycle can last anywhere from 90 to 110 minutes and then repeats in the pattern 1-2-3-2-1-REM pattern. 

The next topic is about how much sleep high schoolers are getting and what in your diet can help you get the amount of sleep that you need. Some students only get a couple hours of sleep a night which can cause you to have very low energy the next day and you won’t be able to perform to your fullest potential. These students are often involved in tons of extracurriculars and have homework and studying to do on top of that. Maya Houdek, a Junior here in Lodi, says that listening to the sound of rain while sitting in the dark helps her fall asleep. “I think students and teenagers should be getting at least ten hours of sleep, so they wouldn’t have to rely on caffeine to get through the day. And also three good hearty meals throughout the day can help with sleeping.” Along with that, she says that getting a little bit of physical activity in before you go to sleep can help drain some energy. 

Next, I asked Mr. Hauser, the psychology teacher here, some questions. One of the questions I asked him was how much sleep teenagers should be getting and how much he thinks they are getting. “I think what teenagers should be getting is eight hours or more, which has great health benefits for teenagers. What research would suggest is that teenagers are only getting six or seven hours and they are probably not as well rested as they could be for school. They may not think as clearly and may not perform well if they are not well rested.” I also asked him why he thinks sleep is important and his response was, “Sleep is the master builder of bodies. I think it is underrated as one of those things. We talk about exercise and eating healthy

yet sometimes I think we get so stressed out because teenagers are so busy and there is so much stuff going on that they don’t get enough proper sleep. And this is a definite negative because sleep helps to replenish our bodies, helps with our cognitions the next day, it helps us think more clearly, and it helps with mood.” He continues to go on to explain that sleep is just as important as everything else we do and we cannot cut back on it or it could have significant damage on our physical and mental health. 

This article explains why sleep is important, how much teenagers should be getting, what a sleep cycle is, and if you struggle to fall asleep, some tips that could help you fall asleep. How much sleep have you been getting? Do you think you have been getting the recommended amount of sleep or should you be getting more?