As a teen, I got tons of sleep. I had strict parents, so I was never out late doing things. My bedtime was 8pm until my junior year, when they changed it to ten. All those nights of fighting with them to have my bedtime changed, and when it finally got changed, I STILL went to bed at 8. (They were right AGAIN, go figure....)
I got good grades. I did well in school and athletics. And then I went to college. What I would have given for nap time again! I went from sleeping around 9 hours nightly to maybe 5 because of studying, sports, and college life. My grades and my health suffered.
Now I work full time and go to school full time, and it is really hard for me to cut out a 7 hour chunk for sleep, but I force myself to do so. I know what will happen if I don't!
(As I write this, I'm having a very hard time focusing. I have the flu and can hardly focus long enough to complete a sentence. So please excuse the choppy train of thought.)
The point is, it is imperative for teens to get enough sleep. It's one of those things that when I have children, will be non-negotiable. Lack of sleep affects everything from growth to attention span. It is something that more parents should be strict about.
Still well written even with the flu! My parents were also strict, but they steered me to bed without making it seem like a strict bedtime, so I just became used to going to sleep around 10pm. They used to have a strict phone policy which made anything after 9:30pm boring enough to go to bed. If I got particularily emotional (irational) they would certainly let me know I should get more sleep though!
ReplyDeleteThis is true when kids have strict parents, they often tend to get good grades and do well in sports too, because they keep their kids on the right track. Sleep is the most important thing for a teenager, so parents should tell their kids to sleep early in the night.
ReplyDeleteSleep is the most crucial when your a teenager!! I LOVED to sleep and playing on multiple sports teams at the same time definitley required more ZZZzzz's! Learning about how important sleep is and how deprivation of sleep can contribute to poor functioning on all levels I'll definitley think twice before complaining about the amount of time my kids spend sleeping. I hope you're feeling better:)
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