Sleep deficiency is such a growing issue; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last year said that inadequate sleep is a public health epidemic. It is well known that not getting enough sleep can harm the mind and the body, but no matter what age it is harmful, not just teenagers.

Even though an inadequate amount of sleep can affect anyone, teenagers are suffering the most. CNN’s Debra Goldschmidt said, “more than 270,000 teens in eighth, 10th and 12th grades between 1991 and 2012 and found teens are getting less and less sleep”.

On average, teenagers sleep seven hours a day, but they should be getting no less than nine hours if their body is going to be fully rested. Researchers guess that the constant use of social media and the internet is a huge factor. Another factor is the pressure of school and college applications. Napping can also cause a sleepless night- researchers said that naps beyond the age of two are unnecessary.

Not getting enough sleep harms the mind and body in more ways than one. No matter how old you are, not getting the recommended amount of sleep can cause an increase in eating, shrink the brain, cause type two diabetes, and incorrect memories.

There are many things that could go wrong when not getting enough sleep, but there are also ways to improve a night’s sleep. Studies show that meditation causes a person to become more mindful, therefore they get an overall well rested night. Another study shows that waking up and falling asleep at the same time can also lead to quality sleep. Also try to avoid naps and heavy meals before your regular bedtime. With these steps you will on the right path to healthy sleeping in no time!

Article by A. Raver

“Man sleeping under tree 2” by Sonia Sevilla – Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons – http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Man_sleeping_under_tree_2.JPG#/media/File:Man_sleeping_under_tree_2.JPG