We all know that sleep is important. Without sleep, we would not be able to function properly, thus creating many health issues. The following are short-term effects of lack of sleep: drowsiness, increased mood swings, becoming less productive, having issues focusing, a decrease in your sense of judgment and thinking decrease, and difficulty retaining information. The following are long-term effects of sleep deprivation that can create some serious health issues: high blood pressure, diabetes, heart attacks, heart failure, strokes, obesity, and depression.
The recommended amount of sleep for the average person is 7-9 hours for adults and 8-10 hours for teenagers. But remember that not everyone's the same. Some need more sleep than others, regardless of age. So it’s important to find a sleep schedule that works for you. Luckily, with some simple math, you can get an idea of when you should be sleeping and waking up.
Since, on average, it takes about 90 minutes for your body to complete a single sleep cycle, the body does around 6 of these cycles per night. Multiply 90 minutes by 6 cycles, and you will get 540 minutes or 9 hours. This is how long it takes to complete 6 sleep cycles. After that, start with the time you need to wake up and count backward by 9 hours.
Here is an example: You need to wake up at 7 a.m., so you count back 9 hours. You will need to go to bed at 10 p.m. to get 9 hours of sleep. But make sure to actually get in bed 15 minutes before your bedtime, since that’s how long it takes the average person to fall asleep.
There are also many books that you can read that discuss the topic of sleep that is both informal and interesting to look at. Below are some recommendations that you can find in the library.
Reading Recomendations
—Written by Dejanai, Teens Leading Change Cycle 5.
Dejanai is a Teen Volunteer at the Chatsworth Library. She is a Sophomore in high school. She likes to draw and hopes to become an artist someday.
The Teens Leading Change initiative has funded and launched over 30 projects across 40 branches, including 5 projects across 7 branches that are happening now! These projects are related to Library Advocacy/Information Literacy, Cultural / Community Conversations & Archives, Know Your Rights, Immigration & Citizenship, Net Neutrality / Privacy, and Voting Rights & Voter Registration, and more.