Taming Restless Nights

“Girl Waiting For Sleep” by Alyssa L. Miller is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/?ref=openverse.

According to the National Library of Medicine, 23.8% of American teenagers have insomnia, while 72.7% report insufficient sleep. As academic pressures and digital distractions escalate among high school students, sleep deprivation becomes more common.

Insomnia is a sleep disorder that makes it hard to fall asleep or stay asleep. This lack of sleep can lead a person to feel drained and exhausted, or even affect mood and health. According to the Mayo Clinic, there are two types of insomnia, short-term and chronic. Short-term insomnia is most common and can last from just one night, up to multiple weeks, while chronic insomnia typically lasts more than 3 months. Insomnia is usually caused by other factors like stress, caffeine, and mental disorders. 

When students of the Upper School were polled, most stated that they did not have insomnia, with the average sleep time on weeknights being around 7 hours. Some students, however, reported getting 5 hours of sleep or less, which is not nearly enough for a growing body and brain. Thankfully, there are simple, healthy habits to combat this lack of quality sleep. 

As a student, homework, tests, and assignments raise stress levels, but it’s important to limit them, especially before bed. Ideally, all work and studying should be completed long before bed, so that the stress of school will not seep into your sleep. Free periods and office hours are a great time to complete your homework. Another way to reduce stress before bed is to focus on your breathing and listen to music. This will help relax the mind and rid you of negative thoughts from the day. 

Another way to foster quality sleep is by getting sufficient exercise during the day. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, the decline of the core body temperature after exercise leads to a good night’s sleep. 

It is also suggested by Verywell Health to avoid consuming caffeine at least eight hours before you go to sleep. Caffeine can stay in your bloodstream for up to ten hours, so cutting off caffeine consumption entirely in the afternoon is best. Instead, you can replace caffeine with a decaffeinated tea, like chamomile, or warm milk before bed. 

Finally, limit screen time as much as possible before bed. The blue light emitted from your phone restrains the production of melatonin, the hormone that promotes sleep. Also, social media content before bed can cause the brain to feel more alert, which will make it more difficult to fall asleep. 

Short-term insomnia is quite common, according to the Mayo Clinic, so don’t feel scared if you have trouble sleeping. Try adopting these simple healthy habits to enhance your quality of sleep. If you feel that sleeping continues to be an issue, please reach out to a doctor.