Samantha Azarow, a freshman at Juan Diego Catholic High School, often finds herself struggling with fatigue. She gets about six hours of sleep every night, which results in low grades and bad habits. "I get moody towards people and later regret it," Azarow said. She believes stress from homework and basketball practice is the main reason for her lack of sleep.

      The struggle Azarow has with getting a sufficient amount of sleep is something that many teenagers face, but very few of them truly understand the dangers and the consequences.

Karisa Pace, RST, RPSGT, is a Polysomnographer at Intermountain Epilepsy and Sleep Center in Murray. She runs sleep studies that can tell when patients are awake, when they are asleep, and what stage of sleep they are in at any given time.  Pace has been working with sleep issues for 20 years, and has seen numerous teenagers with problems similar to Azarow’s.

     Many factors can contribute to lack of sleep. Homework and sports can often cause late nights and early mornings. Pace explained that technology plays a huge role as well. Light from the screens of cell phones, video games, televisions, and even the refrigerator can keep individuals from obtaining the sleep they need.

     "The light is enough to reset what’s called your circadian rhythm, and make your brain think it’s daytime," Pace said. Circadian rhythms are physical, mental, and behavioral changes that follow a 24-hour cycle. They play an important role in sleep patterns.

      Having a good night’s sleep can make a huge difference in the academic and athletic performances of students. Pace says when students become tired, they do not function like they normally would. She also mentioned that weight gain, memory loss, lack of focus, bad attitudes, and moodiness can result from lack of sleep.

      Azarow knows she does not get nearly enough sleep each night. According to Pace, teenagers should be getting eight and a half to 10 hours of sleep, but many get much less. Azarow lies awake worrying about the next day and everything that has to be done. She feels this is becoming a real problem.

      One’s body typically wants to wake up between 8:30 and 9:00 a.m., Pace says. However, Azarow climbs out of bed at five in the morning. She is among the majority of teenagers who stay up late and wake up early. "All teenagers have what’s called delayed face syndrome," Pace said. "You hit puberty, and all of a sudden you’re wanting to stay up later and sleep longer."

      Since many individuals suffer from lack of sleep, it is vital for them to know what they can do to change it. Having a hot bath before bed or counting down from 300 by threes are some of the suggestions Pace offers to help facilitate sleep. Relaxing activity and a comfortable environment can also make a huge difference.

     Azarow feels these options may prove to be helpful. Since she deals with a lot of stress, relaxation could play an important role in getting enough sleep. She also says listening to music allows her to fall asleep faster.

      According to Priority Health Education, an international provider of sleep education and training, people should not exercise in the hours right before going to bed, and should avoid caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine in order to obtain quality sleep. Lengthy or late naps make it harder to fall asleep when the time is right, so they should be avoided as well.

     Pace emphasizes that sleep deprivation is extremely serious. It can cause physical fatigue and pain, as well as making individuals prone to increased heart rate, personality changes, aggression, and depression.

     "In humans, after two days of sleep deprivation, you cannot distinguish brain waves from wake or sleep," Pace said. She also explained how studies have shown that after three days, sleep deprivation will end in death, no matter how much attention and food an individual is given.

      Not only can lack of sleep damage one’s own body, but it can also be dangerous to others as well. Drowsy driving is worse than drunk driving because of the inability to focus, and many teenagers take their last breath when they fall asleep at the wheel.

     When Azarow gets enough sleep, everything changes. She is able to concentrate, focus, and succeed in different ways. "I can think for myself," she said. Instead of trying to stay awake in class and depending on drinks to boost her energy, Azarow can improve her health, and leave the bad habits behind. A good night’s sleep makes all the difference.

     Pace says it is important for all teenagers to be well-rested in order to go from day to day. It is also important for them to recognize the risks of sleep deprivation and work toward eliminating them in their own lives.

National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
http://www.nigms.nih.gov/Education/Factsheet_CircadianRhythms.htm