High Schoolers are constantly complaining about being tired or not getting enough sleep at night. But when we eventually do sleep very often during the day or night, we feel even more tired or the same as before. Why is that? Is there such a thing as too much sleep?
Even though many teens wish that they could sleep all day and do nothing, they have school to attend and work to do. So it begs the question: is it possible for us to be sleeping too much? Yes, yes it is. On average, a person should sleep about 8 hours a night, if you’re sleeping more than that it could either stem from a mental or physical issue or it can eventually lead to one.
Too much sleep can be a side effect of not only mental health issues but also physical health issues. Sleeping too much can lead to heart failure, obesity, diabetes, and anxiety. (https://www.premierhealth.com) It is healthy for your body to be up and moving and only sleeping for the amount of time that is necessary.
With that being said, knowing this can also make you wonder the same thing about napping, is that also bad for you? Surprisingly no, for high schoolers napping during the day is not a bad thing. Studies have actually shown that napping through the day can help some teens sleep better at night. However, it is advised that you don’t nap too close to the time that you’re going to sleep for the night. (https://www.sleepfoundation.org) Our teenage bodies are still growing and developing; sleeping a little extra during the day is not bad for us. For adults on the other hand, it’s not a good thing. Napping too much during the day can lead to diabetes and depression. (https://www.health.harvard.edu) So keep an eye on your parents.
Studies have shown that in today’s society, 70% of high school students are getting less than 8 – 10 hours of sleep, according to the Sleep Foundation. Teens need to be sleeping more but because of homework, extracurricular activities, and sports, it can be hard for them to sleep as much as is healthy. Most teens will sleep around 7 hours according to the Sleep Foundation which is less than advised so napping every now and then is a good thing for teenagers. But not having the time to get in a solid 9 hours usually means that they won’t have time to nap during the day either.
Taking all this into consideration, most high school students need to sleep more. On the other hand, they also need to make sure that they aren’t sleeping too much, they need to recognize the difference between sleeping because you need it and sleeping just because. Adults also need to recognize how much sleep they really need. It is always good to be in tune with your body, it keeps you healthy.
