The Paw Print

by Kathy P.

Between complicated projects, long study sessions, and texting nonstop, being a teen is demanding. But that does not mean you should loose sleep over the pressures. Studies show that you should get at least 9.5 hours of sleep every night; but the average teen only gets about 7.4 hours a night. While two or so hours of sleep may not seem like much, a lack of sleep or too much can affect you.

Heeyoung Sim (8) said, “It’s harder to think, and I just feel drained. I don’t have enough energy to do anything.”

Lack of sleep can affect your weight, skin, growth, ability to focus and your moods. Sleep deprivation can be the cause behind extreme moodiness, poor performance in school and even depression. Without the minimum amount of sleep, it’s impossible to focus to the best of your ability.

Emily Jahadi (8) said, “After working late to finish a project, I feel so tired that I don’t want to listen to the teacher’s lecture.”

If you don’t get enough sleep you can develop high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity. Getting the right amount of sleep helps ensure that you are alert and focused and that your body and skin has time to repair itself.

Beauty sleep is more than just a saying. When you're sleep-deprived, you develop puffy eyes and dark circles, and you may have poor blood circulation, which means you won't have a healthy-looking complexion.

But teens aren't all to blame for feeling worn out. Most teens experience a biological phenomenon that makes it harder to fall asleep early. The medical condition of not being able to fall asleep right away at night and then having difficulty waking up early the next morning is known as delayed sleep-phase syndrome.

But, think twice before you gulp down a Monster or Venom. A rising trend at our school is to stay up late, and then drink a can of Red Bull, Monster or Venom. While these energy drinks may wake you up and give you a short burst of energy; the crash can be worse. These energy drinks may cause seizures due to the "crash" following the energy high that occurs after consumption.

The effects of these energy drinks can also be deadly. In 2004, the popular energy drink Red Bull was banned in France after the death of eighteen-year-old athlete, Ross Cooney. Energy drinks have been linked with reports of nausea, abnormal heart beats and trips to the emergency room for heart palpitations or other related symptoms associated with high energy beverages.

So, don’t try to cram a project into one night—work on it throughout the week and juggle your schedule. Your body knows when you don’t get enough sleep. To be able to work to the best of your ability, you need the required amount of sleep. It’s okay to work hard, but you need rest to fulfill those dreams, finish your homework and of course text your friends.