Sleep. Many people seem to have a love-hate relationship with it. Sometimes it is a dreaded distraction, diverting one from what he wants or needs to accomplish. Other times it is a blessed relief, taking one away from the stress and demands from the world and refreshing him for a new day. Either way, it is indisputable that sleep is vital to any person’s daily functioning. However, while it is commonly known that sleep affects the mind, many people do not know just how much it affects the body.
Everybody is familiar with the feeling of exhaustion. Bleary eyes, nodding off, yawning, bags under the eyes and clumsiness all generally come along with sleep deprivation. However, these are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to how sleep deprivation takes a toll on one’s body. According to WebMD, insufficient amount of sleep creates issues for the immune system, which means that less sleep leads to more colds, flues and other minor illnesses. However, lack of sleep can also lead to long-term and more serious conditions such diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease as well as shortened life expectancy.
Teens are especially in danger of these effects because they, as a whole, do not get enough sleep. The average teenage should get between eight-and-a-half and 9 ¼ hours of sleep, but a study shows that 85% of teens reported not even getting the eight-and-a-half hours. These habits are very risky; however, making sleep a priority, maintaining a constant sleeping schedule, even on weekends, and taking naps are all ways that will help teens get a sufficient amount of sleep.
By: Delayne Duggan
http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/excessive-sleepiness-10/immune-system-lack-of-sleep
http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/matters/consequences/sleep-and-disease-risk
http://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/sleep-topics/teens-and-sleep
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