9781422273890

For many teens, the ability to go long periods without sleep is a sort of “badge of honor.” Sometimes it’s “pulling an all-nighter” to write a paper at the last minute. Other times it’s staying up for hours playing games or chatting with friends on social media. But whatever the motivation, the phrase “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” is repeated over and over as if that were somehow a form of wisdom. It’s not. Sleep is an incredibly important part of your day, and, contrary to rumor, it is not lost or wasted time. The body, in particular the brain, depends on adequate sleep for physical and emotional health. And yet the media tell us we are in the middle of a “sleep crisis.” Americans are experiencing near-epidemic levels of exhaustion, impacting our health, our decision making, and even our physical safety. Teens especially struggle with getting enough sleep—and to be honest, our educational system is not helping them. Teens are overstressed and overscheduled. Many high schools start their day at about 7:00 a.m., which research tells us is too early for the teen brain. This book looks at why sleep is so important and what can go wrong if you aren’t getting enough. It presents the facts on a variety of sleep problems that can occur, and provides down to-earth advice on “sleep hygiene,” a term that refers to how our environment and behavior affect how we sleep. Speaking of hygiene, chapter 3 looks at that other type of hygiene—keeping ourselves clean—and offers tips on how to make sure we are presenting the best version of ourselves that we can.

6