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Sleep crucial to teenagers as demands pileup

How many adults remember what it was like to be a teenager? It's a bit of a roller-coaster ride.

Adolescence is a mishmash of physical, social and intellectual changes designed to convert a child into an adult. With many competing activities, from school and extracurricular activities to family routines and the increasing urge to socialize with peers, the tendency to become “overscheduled” is common among teens.

There are also new challenges facing today's children. The near ubiquitous presence of digital technology has expanded the social calendar to a round-the-clock schedule of cellphone calls, text messages, tweets and social media updates. Budgeting time can lead to cutting corners, reducing time to undertake necessary tasks like meals and sleep.

All this has led the American Academy of Pediatrics to issue a new policy statement encouraging a delay in the start of classes for middle and high schools to 8:30 a.m. The statement, while acknowledging the broad range of competing interests in an adolescent's schedule, also takes into account the shifting sleep rhythm in the adolescent brain, which favors later bedtimes.

The effects of sleep deprivation are quite wide-ranging, with potential impact on physical health, mental health, safety, learning and psychological functioning.

The most prominent result of inadequate sleep are cognitive effects that alter our way of thinking. Decreased level of alertness, inattentiveness, poor reasoning and decreased mental flexibility all are known to result from sleep restriction.

Altered mood, often mimicking the classic symptoms of depression or anxiety, also can result from inadequate sleep. This may include sadness, irritability, poor concentration, low energy levels and forgetfulness.

One of the most concerning consequences of sleep deprivation is the occurrence of micro sleeps. These result from the involuntary impulse to sleep in people who are sleep-deprived. Micro sleeps are the intrusion of sleep, often for periods of just a few seconds, otherwise during a period of wakefulness. When micro sleeps occur during an activity such as driving, serious injury or even death may result.

It is clear that maintaining an adequate sleep schedule is essential to the well-being of adolescents and adults alike.

Much can be done to improve sleep habits for teens. The habits that contribute to a healthy sleep pattern are collectively referred to as sleep hygiene.

Teens need between 8½ and 9½ hours of sleep per night. Caffeine and energy products commonly consumed by teens to control the symptoms of sleep deprivation also impair sleep routines and should be avoided. A healthy sleep environment should be quiet, relatively dark and devoid of distractions, especially digital distractions which promote alertness.

Extracurricular obligations should take into account school responsibilities and accommodate the important time spent with family such as family meals together. Scheduled “down time” will permit organization of thoughts and will aid reflection and contemplation. Not only will sleep benefit, but finding the right schedule balance will promote overall well-being.

Dr. Matthew A. Clark is a board-certified physician in internal medicine and pediatrics practicing at the Ute Mountain Ute Health Center in Towaoc.



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