It is rightly said that sleep itself is essential for embedding knowledge in the brain but today’s student community doesn’t actually pay the much-needed heed to sleep as required. It is often seen that students sleep only for 3 or 4 hours a day before examination. This will not only drain the body physically but mental peace will be affected disrupting the exam pressure. It is not beneficial in any way to reduce your sleep to 8 hours even during your studies as well. Experts recommend that teens between the ages of 13 and 18 get 8 to 10 hours of sleep per night. But this recommendation changes for preteens and adult teenagers.
Here are some of the key reasons for which one should take a sound 8-hour sleep:
Health and Development of students
Sleep contributes to the effective function of virtually every system of the body. It empowers the immune system, helps regulate hormones, and enables muscle and tissue recovery. Substantial physical development happens during student development, which can be negatively affected by a lack of sleep.
Academic Achievement
Sleep benefits the brain and promotes attention, memory, and analytical thought. It makes thinking sharper, recognizing the most important information to consolidate learning. Sleep also facilitates expansive thinking that can spur creativity. Whether studying for a test, learning an instrument, or acquiring job skills, sleep is essential for students.
Emotional Health
Lack of sleep can affect mood, causing irritability and exaggerated emotional reactions. Over time, the consequences can be even greater for students who are adapting to more independence and responsibility. Improving sleep in students may play a role in preventing and managing these mental health conditions.
Unfortunate Injuries
Insufficient sleep in students can make them prone to accidental injury and even death. Of particular concern is an elevated risk of accidents as a result of drowsy driving. Studies have found that sleep deprivation can reduce reaction times with an effect similar to that of significant alcohol consumption. The impact of drowsy driving can be amplified by a lack of driving experience and a higher rate of distracted driving.
Decision-Making Quality that students must have
Sleep deprivation can affect the development of the frontal lobe, a part of the brain that is critical to control impulsive behavior. People who do not get enough sleep are more likely to engage in high-risk behaviors like drunk driving, texting while driving, and failing to use a seatbelt. Drug and alcohol use, smoking, risky sexual behavior, fighting, and carrying a weapon are also more common in students who get too little sleep. Behavioural problems can have widespread effects on a student’s life, putting their safety in jeopardy, and harming their academic performance.
On top of school/college demands, extracurricular activities, weekends filled with socializing, and electronic devices, a student may find the balance between demands and adequate sleep to be difficult. Good sleep hygiene practices may make it easier to log in an adequate amount of sleep by keeping a regular sleep schedule and creating a restful sleep environment.
