Have you ever had one of those days? It begins with your alarm going off. You’re certain your head hit the pillow only 10 minutes ago. You hit snooze a few times before finally rolling out of bed. Functioning throughout the day is a struggle: unable to focus on tasks and nodding off in quiet moments. I see this struggle play out often among students. Teenagers have so much on their plates—between academics, work, sports, arts, and friends—that a full night of restful sleep becomes imperative.
Sleep is such an important factor in managing the overall health and success of a teenager. In our health classes, we start with the facts: Teens need 8–10 hours of uninterrupted, quality sleep. Sleep plays a variety of roles, from helping our body heal to decluttering our brain. This helps teens perform better in school and extracurricular activities. It also helps balance their mood and, hopefully, reduce emotion-fueled meltdowns.
Students will say to me, “Coach, I get 8 hours of sleep, but I still feel tired.” This is where the “uninterrupted quality” part comes into play. When we sleep, the goal is to spend as much time in deep sleep as possible. Deep sleep is the restorative sleep stage, but it is also easily disrupted during the night. Students are surprised to learn that their deep sleep can be disturbed without ever waking them up. Sleeping next to a buzzing phone or with a pet could be the difference between waking up tired or rested.
So, how can teens reach this goal of 8–10 hours of uninterrupted, quality sleep? Start by setting a consistent sleep schedule. Plan a bedtime routine that begins with turning off screens 30 minutes before bedtime. Remove things that interfere with sleep—no pets, no buzzing phones, no flashing lights. Create a dark, quiet, cozy environment that will allow you to sleep through the night. These simple actions will reduce those days of struggle, improve performance, and lead to a happier, healthier teen.
Sweet dreams, Cadets!