Sleep is an Important part of life.
Part of the reason teenagers get less sleep is because of our biology. That’s right, our own bodies are against us getting a good night’s sleep. Firstly, a Sleep Foundation article called “Teens and Sleep” by Eric Suni and medically reviewed by Alex Dimitriu, board-certified psychiatrist and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine, said that teens’ sleep drive functions slower, meaning we start to want to sleep later in the night, and teens’ bodies take longer to produce melatonin, the hormone that helps people sleep. According to a Stanford Medicine article called “Among teens, sleep deprivation is an epidemic” by Ruthann Richter, researchers at Stanford University found that as children in their study got older, they were more likely to sleep later and teens were found to experience a sleep-phase delay. Basically, our circadian rhythms start operating on a time schedule that has teenagers going to sleep later, making it harder for teens to sleep prior to 11pm. And with school starting around 8am or 9am, teenagers have to wake up early to get to school and sacrifice getting 8 or 9 hours of sleep. Our biology has stacked the deck against us as far as getting enough sleep goes.
Our environment also contributes to our sleep deprivation. One of the main reasons teens do not get enough sleep is school. Many teenagers, including myself, are juggling crushing workloads and multiple extracurricular activities. I have spent many nights staying up late studying for tests or finishing projects after coming home late from a club meeting. We want to succeed in life and get into good colleges so finishing up work often take priority over the need for sleep in many teens’ minds, including my own. Another factor contributing to teens’ lack of sleep is our screen time. I know I am guilty of wasting way too much time on my phone and laptop binging TV shows at night as a way to decompress after the stress of school, family, etc. The pull of social media, TV, games, etc. on devices can lead to teenagers sacrificing even more of their nighttime. The Sleep Foundation article by Suni and reviewed by Dimitriu also said that a 2014 Sleep in America Poll reported that 89% or more teens have at minimum one device in their bedroom at night. The article also stated that using devices at night keeps teens’ brains up and new notifications can contribute to a lower quality of sleep while the light from cell phone may lower melatonin production. The Stanford medicine article by Richter adds that lit screens signal to the part of the brain monitoring our circadian clock that it isn’t night or time to sleep yet.
I know everything I have said so far makes it seem like it is almost impossible for teens to get the right amount of sleep each night and avoid some pretty harmful effects. However, there are steps teenagers and their families can take to get on a better sleep schedule. A Child Mind Institute called “How to Help Teenagers Get More Sleep” by Juliann Garey and the Newport Academy article recommend various techniques on sleeping for longer. First off, teens need to understand the importance of getting more sleep. If you and your family aren’t willing to make the effort to get more sleep, it makes it much harder to actually achieve that goal and have a healthier life. Also, it’s important to involve parents in the process. Parents can help set restrictions on bedtimes, screen time, and study time. I know it sucks sometimes to ask your parents for help but it’s a necessary step. Doing everything by yourself will make getting more sleep a difficult process, especially since it’s hard to regulate yourself. I know I probably wouldn’t be able to put down my study materials or my phone without reminders from my parents. It’s also important to not use electronic devices an hours before bed since as mentioned above, the blue light from devices can help keep teenagers up. Teens can create a schedule where they do homework that requires electronic devices first or where they allot time after doing studying to use electronic devices before turning them off an hour before bed. Teens can also simplify their schedules. I know cutting out activities or choosing to go to bed instead of studying for more time can be really tough, especially when thinking about college, but it’s important that we take care of ourselves. Our health comes first and it’s not worth it to make ourselves miserable. There are still ways to get to college or wherever you want to go without sacrificing your personal mental and emotional health. Also, not getting enough sleep can actually hurt students’ academic performances. Teenagers can make schedules for themselves to maximize their productivity and give themselves enough time to sleep rather than staying up really late to finish all their work. It’s also important to exercise during the day instead of at night before bed. Having a relaxing bedtime routine that may involve something like writing in a journal can also help teenagers fall asleep. It is important to not eat late-night snacks that can affect blood sugar. I love eating late night snacks too, but the fact is that it isn’t good for us. Yoga and meditation can also help teens relax enough to fall asleep. Dark, cool rooms are best for sleeping.
I know making these changes is easier said than done. I have struggled to do it in my own life. But it is important we try to help our mental, emotional, and physical health. We are supposed to be enjoying our teenage years but we won’t be able to without getting enough sleep. Getting sleep needs to be a priority in our lives since sleep deprivation affects every part of teenagers’ lives. So good luck to everyone trying to adopt better sleeping habits. I know I’ll need it.
Some Types of Anxiety Disorders
Generalized Anxiety Disorder: According to the American Psychiatric Association, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) entails ongoing and excessive worry that disrupts daily activities. The persistent worry and anxiety comes with physical symptoms, including restlessness, feeling on edge or easily tired, having a hard time concentrating, muscle tension, or issues sleeping. The worries often have to do with everyday things, including job obligations, family health or small issues like chores, car repairs, or appointments.
Panic Disorder: Cleveland Clinic explains that panic disorder involves getting intense, sudden panic attacks. These panic attacks involve stronger, more intense feelings compared to other types of anxiety disorders. The feelings of fear may begin suddenly and without warning or may be caused by some trigger, such as a situation the person does not like. Panic attacks seem like heart attacks. If you feel you are experiencing a heart attack, go to the emergency room since it is better to be cautious by seeing a doctor. In a panic attack, a person may go through sweating, heart palpitations (the person feels like their heart is pounding), chest pain, a feeling of choking that may seem like a heart attack or “going crazy.” Panic attacks are incredibly disconcerting and people with panic disorder are usually spending a large amount of time worrying about the next panic attack. They also may attempt to avoid things that can cause an attack.
Phobias and Specific Phobias: Cleveland Clinic says that phobias are strong fear of certain situations or objects. Some fears may seem logical, like fear of snakes, but usually, the level of fear is not proportionate. People may take a large amount of time trying to avoid situations that can trigger the phobia. Specific phobias are an intense fear of a specific object or situation that may lead someone to avoid everyday situations. The object and situation may not be harmful as the American Psychiatric Association explains. The person may know the fear is excessive but they can not control it. Some specific phobias are fear of animals (spiders, dogs, snakes, etc.), blood, flying, heights, and injections.
Social Anxiety Disorder: Cleveland Clinic and the American Psychiatric Association state that this used to be known as social phobia. Social anxiety disorder involves excessive worry and self-consciousness with daily social interactions or extreme anxiety and discomfort about being embarrassed, humiliated, rejected, or disrespected in social interactions. The person is worried others will judge them and they are anxious they will embarrass themselves or be ridiculed. People with social anxiety disorder may completely avoid social situations or go through them with extreme anxiety. The fear or anxiety causes issues with daily functioning and goes on for at least 6 months. Some common fears are fear of public speaking, interacting with new people, or eating or drinking in public.
Agoraphobia: Cleveland Clinic says that if someone has agoraphobia, it often involves having an intense fear of being overwhelmed or not being able to access help. The person usually has a fear of two or more of the following environments: enclosed spaces, lines or crowds, open spaces, places outside the home, and public transportation. In extreme situations, people with agoraphobia may not leave the house ever since they are scared of experiencing a panic attack in public where they may not be able to leave or reach help, so they would rather stay inside.
Separation Anxiety Disorder: Cleveland Clinic and the American Psychiatric Association say, separation anxiety disorder often occurs in children or teens that may be nervous about being away from their parents. Children with separation anxiety disorder may be scared that their parents will get hurt somehow or not return like they promise. This occurs in preschoolers often but older children and adults that go through a stressful event can have separation anxiety disorder too. The person is overly nervous of scared about being separated from the people they are attached to, and the feeling is excessive for what is appropriate for the person’s age, continues, and causes issues in functioning. The person may not want to go out or sleep away from home or without the person they are attached to, or may have nightmares about being separated.
Selective mutism: Mayo Clinic explains that selective mutism is a persisting failure of children to speak or talk in specific situations, like in school, even if they can speak in other situations, like at home or with family. This can disrupt school, work, and functioning in public or with others.
Substance-induced Anxiety Disorder: Mayo Clinic states that substance-induced anxiety disorder has symptoms of intense anxiety or panic that are caused by misusing drugs, taking medications, coming into contact with a toxic substance, or withdrawal from drugs.
Anxiety Disorder Because of A Medical Condition: Mayo Clinic says this anxiety disorder has symptoms of strong anxiety or panic that is caused by a physical health issue.
Causes of Anxiety Disorders
Cleveland Clinic explains how if you have symptoms of an anxiety disorder, it is important to discuss them with a healthcare provider, who will likely get a full medical history and physical examination. They may do some lab tests or scans to rule out physical conditions that may cause the symptoms. A psychiatrist, psychologist, or other mental health professional are trained in diagnosing and treating mental illnesses. They may use specifically designed interviews and assessment tool to determine whether or not you have an anxiety disorder. Mental health professionals often use your reported symptoms, the impact of your symptoms on your life, and their observation of your attitude and behavior to make a diagnosis. It is important to get treatment if you feel you have an anxiety disorder. There is no shame in getting help and it is better to try to treat anxiety early on before it gets worse.
Treatment
Help your child understand the concept of time by saying what time it is during routine activities. Use and explain words like morning, noon, night, yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Make a timeline together showing a typical day, with drawings of regular events and the time of day written beneath each one.
SOURCES :
2. “Anxiety Disorders: Types, Causes, Symptoms & Treatments.” Cleveland Clinic, https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9536-anxiety-disorders.
3. “What Are Anxiety Disorders?” Psychiatry.org – What Are Anxiety Disorders?, https://psychiatry.org/patients-families/anxiety-disorders/what-are-anxiety-disorders.
