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Why do you sleep so much?
Too cool for a nap? At Greenwich High School in Connecticut, members of the Power Nap and Meditation Society are serious about snooze. Every Monday, the 20 members meet in an English classroom for an afternoon cat nap.
Naps aren’t just for kindergarteners. Brett Kuhn, a child psychologist with the University of Nebraska Medical Center, says sleep is the only way a tired person can find rejuvenation. And teenagers are tired people. Research reveals that teenagers need nine hours of sleep a night—but usually only get seven.
So why is sleep such a big deal?
Why do we need sleep?
Experts aren’t exactly sure why the body sleeps. “One of the most popular theories is that the brain needs restoration,” Kuhn says. “We know sleep is universal, so it must serve a vital function.”
Though experts have several theories as to why we sleep, everyone agrees the body thrives when well-rested. Barbara L. Heller is a psychotherapist and author of the book How to Sleep Soundly Tonight. She says sleep enhances a person’s mood, ability to learn and coping skills. “It increases our capacity for communication, creativity and concentration,” she says.
What happens to the body during sleep?
Heller says there are two types of sleep: rapid eye movement (REM) and nonrapid eye movement (NREM). A good night’s rest includes both types.
During REM, a sleeper’s eyes move back and forth. A person dreams during REM sleep, and their heart rate, blood pressure and breathing are similar to when they are awake.
Heller says most people experience four to six REM periods each night. As the night progresses, the length of each REM period increases.
While many people enjoy the dreams experienced during REM, sleep isn’t all about sweet dreams. Heller says sleep helps the body recover from illness and enhances our resistance to disease.
Sleep also offers the brain quiet time to organize information and memories. Sleep is also a time for the body to restore tissues, repair muscles and replace dead cells. The body also secretes growth hormones during sleep.
What does sleep mean to a teen?
While your family is asleep, are you still up and at ‘em? Heller says teens have a different sleep pattern. “Teens’ sleep patterns are biological, not just cultural. It is estimated that between 80 to 90 percent of young people are night owls,” she says.
So even if you want to turn in early for a good night’s rest, your body may have other plans. Heller says a teen’s ability to sleep shuts down at around 7:30 p.m. and doesn’t turn on again for hours. That means teens are scheduled to go to bed and wake up later.
Besides biology, nightlife also keeps teens awake. “Teenagers are often active at night. They’re on the Internet, watching TV or out with friends. It delays the time they go to bed,” says Kuhn.
Because teens turn in later, they miss an average of two hours of sleep a night. All the missed sleep adds up to a “sleep debt” that can’t be canceled just by sleeping in on weekends.
Though sleeping in feels good, it doesn’t address the real problem: scheduling. “There is a downside to this habit,” says Heller. “Waking two to three hours later on Saturday and Sunday than on school mornings can make it harder for teens to rise when they go back to their weekday routines.”
How can you sleep better?
Want to sleep like a rock? Here are nine ways you can have a better night’s rest.
1. Set a bedtime Even though it seems babyish, having a regular bedtime and wake up time gives your body a consistent schedule. Keep with your bedtime on weekends and days off.
2. Turn off the lights Your body associates light with being awake and dark with being asleep. Keep your room dark before bedtime, and avoid bright lights from the computer or TV.
3. Relax If Harry Potter gives you the heebie-jeebies, close the book before bed. Listen to relaxing music or lie in the dark so your body can get into the sleep mindset.
4. Keep out Try to only use your bedroom for sleep. Don’t study, watch TV or talk on the phone in bed. Hanging out in your room will make your body associate your room with activity, not with sleep.
5. Exercise Exercise helps deepen your sleep and keeps you in the deeper stages of sleep for longer. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) says you should save hard workouts for the earlier hours of the day. Light exercise can be done up to four hours before bed.
6. Have a routine Put on your favorite jammies and tuck in your teddy bear. Having a pre-sleep routine lets your body know it’s time to wind down and prepare for sleep.
7. Don’t smoke Another reason to not smoke: Research links nicotine with problems falling asleep and waking up.
8. Lay off caffeine Caffeine is a stimulant and can keep your body awake even though you want to sleep. The AASM recommends laying off caffeine six hours before bed.
9. Forget food If it’s close to bedtime and you haven’t had dinner, opt for a small snack instead. The AASM says a small snack can promote sound sleep, but large meals will do the opposite. Article provided by 
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