The Consequences Of Poor Sleep In Adolescence

Sleep is a fundamental part of the development of adolescence. In this article, we take a closer look at the consequences of poor sleep during this phase.

Sleep is an action we automatically perform every day. It is extremely important to regenerate the mind and body. Sleep is fundamental to any person, but it is especially true of those who are in the midst of their development. Therefore, we need to take a closer look at the consequences of poor sleep in adolescence.

In this phase, children undergo many different physical, psychological, emotional and social changes. These changes can also affect their sleep quality.

Why do teens have trouble sleeping?

When we sleep, we go through two alternating sleep cycles:

NREM sleep (non-Rapid Eye Movement): This consists of four phases ranging from the transition to alertness to slow wave sleep.
REM sleep: This is also known as paradoxical sleep, which involves rapid eye movements.

The deep, slow wave sleep is the most important phase. The basic function of this sleep phase is to reduce cerebral metabolism and let the brain rest. Furthermore, experts believe that REM sleep is associated with brain development and learning.

These phases can easily change when one becomes a teenager. The reasons have to do with poor sleep habits and social demands that young students experience today.

Sleep habits

Appropriate sleep habits involve a number of necessary things. These things allow teens to maintain a normal state during nighttime sleep and during daytime wakefulness.

When experiencing poor sleep in adolescence, the following points may be the cause:

Unhealthy eating habits, especially in the evening.
Exercise has been practiced just before bedtime.
You consume things like coffee, energy drinks, sodas, tobacco, alcohol or drugs.
You watch TV series or movies until late at night.
You use your phone just before going to sleep.

You play video games in the evening.

Poor sleep in adolescence can be due to social demands

If you think about it, then our modern society is one of the highest demands. It is therefore quite likely that academic and social demands affect a teenager’s sleep.

Many young people participate in extracurricular activities or spend their afternoons with friends. This deters them from fulfilling their academic obligations during the day.

In fact, there are many young students who are awake in the evening and at night to do homework or prepare for an exam. But paradoxically, poor sleep correlates with poor academic performance.

This is because teens need optimal amounts of quality sleep so that they can obtain and process information correctly. This is the key to promoting the learning process.