Sleep serves to restore the body from the stresses life brings, but what happens to the body when it lacks adequate sleep? The belief is that this deficiency wreaks havoc on all aspects of life, including academic performance, behavior, and physical health. In today’s society, the importance of sleep is commonly overlooked, despite the fact that it pertains to all people, of all ages, all over the world. Teenagers, specifically, have fallen victim to factors that hinder their ability to attain sufficient rest. After thorough research, one can determine the negative impact that sleep deficiency has on teenagers today.
Sleep deprivation occurs when an individual fails to attain enough sleep for the body to function properly. For teenagers, the …show more content…
A lack of sleep in teens can cause frequent colds and infections, due to a weakened immune system (How Much). Multiple studies have also shown evidence that disordered sleep increases one’s risk for diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular events, stroke, depression, and all-cause mortality (Goldman). These health concerns are most likely caused by the link between sleep deprived individuals and obesity. According to an article by Florida State University, “ Teens who get five hours of sleep per night are 40 percent more likely to be obese than those who get eight or more hours of sleep” (Adkins). Even so, the link between obesity and sleep deprivation is not a mystery. A lack of sleep increases the level of ghrelin in the body, which in turn heightens one’s appetite for high-carb and high-calorie foods. Furthermore, with a lack of sleep, the body’s levels of leptin, which gives the feeling of satiety, decrease. These two effects combined can only result in overeating and weight gain (Goldman). In contrary to eating healthy and exercising, increasing one’s time spent sleeping is a miniscule task, yet it makes all the difference. It is clear that sleep sufficiency is a key component that determines one’s …show more content…
While some factors, such as being awoken by outside noise, cannot be eliminated, many have a solution. For instance, stimulants like coffee and energy drinks can be restricted to morning consumption. This ensures that the caffeine does not interfere with our body’s “circadian rhythm,” or natural sleep-wake cycle (How Much). Finally, the most significant factor that contributes to sleep deprivation in teens is exposure to artificial light. This comes from an array of electronic devices, including television, computers, tablets, and most importantly, cell phones. According to WebMD, European researchers report, “Teenagers who use their phones more than 15 times after noon have more trouble falling asleep and staying asleep than those who use their phones sparingly” (Laino). If teenagers can implement these solutions into their daily lives, the effects of sleep deprivation will diminish, and the issue itself will cease to
Sleep deprivation occurs when an individual fails to attain enough sleep for the body to function properly. For teenagers, the …show more content…
A lack of sleep in teens can cause frequent colds and infections, due to a weakened immune system (How Much). Multiple studies have also shown evidence that disordered sleep increases one’s risk for diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular events, stroke, depression, and all-cause mortality (Goldman). These health concerns are most likely caused by the link between sleep deprived individuals and obesity. According to an article by Florida State University, “ Teens who get five hours of sleep per night are 40 percent more likely to be obese than those who get eight or more hours of sleep” (Adkins). Even so, the link between obesity and sleep deprivation is not a mystery. A lack of sleep increases the level of ghrelin in the body, which in turn heightens one’s appetite for high-carb and high-calorie foods. Furthermore, with a lack of sleep, the body’s levels of leptin, which gives the feeling of satiety, decrease. These two effects combined can only result in overeating and weight gain (Goldman). In contrary to eating healthy and exercising, increasing one’s time spent sleeping is a miniscule task, yet it makes all the difference. It is clear that sleep sufficiency is a key component that determines one’s …show more content…
While some factors, such as being awoken by outside noise, cannot be eliminated, many have a solution. For instance, stimulants like coffee and energy drinks can be restricted to morning consumption. This ensures that the caffeine does not interfere with our body’s “circadian rhythm,” or natural sleep-wake cycle (How Much). Finally, the most significant factor that contributes to sleep deprivation in teens is exposure to artificial light. This comes from an array of electronic devices, including television, computers, tablets, and most importantly, cell phones. According to WebMD, European researchers report, “Teenagers who use their phones more than 15 times after noon have more trouble falling asleep and staying asleep than those who use their phones sparingly” (Laino). If teenagers can implement these solutions into their daily lives, the effects of sleep deprivation will diminish, and the issue itself will cease to