“Get more sleep!”
That is definitely easier said than done.
As teenagers, we have to hurdle over literal piles of books and paper for school, relationship problems with family and friends, and spontaneous emotional breakdowns. We’re running a marathon that never seems to end. So, how are we expected to sleep through all of this. How are we supposed to get 8-10 hours of sleep each night when there isn’t enough time in the 24-hour day for us to do even half of the work we are given.
According to sleepfoundation.org, only 15% of teens reported sleeping 8.5 hours on school nights. This clearly explains the zombie-like figures, drooping dark circles, and rising trend in sweatpants fashion among teens. We understand this statistic, but just because we understand it doesn’t mean we should live it. Instead, we should become the 15% of us who get ample amount of sleep, which will hopefully skyrocket to a full 100%.
I am proud to say that I am among the 15%. I pull all-nighters once a year. I sleep at 9:00 and wake up at 5:00. None of the people around me believe me when I state these facts, but I am telling you, it is possible. I want to tell you how to turn the seemingly impossible “Get more sleep” is possible.
Eat dinner early: I try to eat dinner as soon as I get home. An empty stomach is not good for studying or working. Therefore, eating dinner early, right before you begin to storm through hundreds of pages of reading and homework, will help you physically stay strong.
Skip the deserts: Eating late-night deserts, on the other hand, is not the best option. Eating food later than usual and filling up your stomach even more after your dinner will actually deplete your energy and cause your eyes to droop and your head to crash down onto your desk. From experience, I have noticed that a dinner without any deserts after is the best and most natural way to begin your night to studying.
No naps: Naps are amazing, but they’re actually not. It seems like common sense to think that naps help you catch up on the sleep you lost the night before. However, they actually make you even drowsier and disrupt your sleep schedule that your brain has programmed.
Maintain the cycle: I understand that this article is meant to help you get more sleep, and believe me, this will help in the long run. Think of the hours of sleep you get on average. Your job is to sleep that certain amount of hours everyday, even on the weekend. Many people sleep minimally during the weekdays and then sleep for an entire day on the weekends. This is a prime example of what not to do. Maintaining your personal cycle to sleep is beneficial on the long run. When you become used to this cycle, gradually increase the average amount of sleep. Then, you will be able to get enough sleep without the psychological cycle becoming disrupted.
Bullet Journaling: Benjamin Franklin kept an equivalent of today’s bullet journal, and it seemed to help. Keeping track of your schedule, habits, and sleep might seem to be a waste of the precious time we lose sleep over, but in the long run, it will allow you to look back and see what type of time management seems to work best for you. It’s also trending internationally, according to the YouTube recommended videos that keep popping up.
These are just five of the methods that I have maintained over my high school career, and they have helped me immensely. There are the obvious… Don’t procrastinate. Stay off your electronic devices. However, I wanted to provide you with methods that you can physically do and keep track of. In the end, there is no set solution. It’s your job to alter the methods presented to you into ones that you are comfortable with. When you have mastered your own techniques, you will begin to see the finish sign at the end of the marathon. Your legs will be sore. You will be out of breath. But you will feel content and accomplished. Getting enough sleep will now be easier done than said.
– by Brittany, 16