Since we are young we have a set bedtime. As we start growing older, our parents no longer have to tuck us in and tell us bedtime stories to fall asleep.

Instead we fall asleep to YouTube, Netflix, and various stimulating objects that “help us fall asleep.”  Our sleep cycles are much more important that many teenagers think and can affect our performance in school and even our health.

Think about it, how many of your friends actually go asleep at an acceptable time? Many teenagers stay up past twelve or even two o’clock in the morning just to finish homework! Sometimes even to just stay up and watch that one extra YouTube video (that never ends up being just one).

“I can’t remember the last time I’ve gone to bed before at least eleven. I don’t think I slept any earlier than that since before middle school.” said Reno Micros.

What students fail to realize is how much this can truly affect their health. Studies  show that sleeping less than 8 ½ hours per night can limit your ability to learn, concentrate, and solve problems. Less than 15% of teenagers get the recommended amount of sleep per night.

With all the exciting events our school offers we need to be well rested and ready to get involved.

One reason we are seeing this incredibly low percent of teenagers sleeping at acceptable times is because of blue-light interference. Blue-light is given off from our smartphones and devices and has been known to interfere with sleep cycles.

This type of light has a short wavelength that affects levels of melatonin more than any other wavelength does. So by catching up and scrolling through your Instagram feed, you are disrupting your body’s natural production of melatonin. REM stages of your sleep, the deepest sleep you are in during the night, are getting cut short or disappearing and causing us to feel groggy and exhausted in the morning.

Many people do not see the importance of sleep in general. It is obvious that we need it to grow and be healthy, but as we get older sleep can be seen as a burden that gives us less time in a day to be productive.

However, we know that this is far from the truth. Sleep is important for all ages, especially for teenagers who need energy to continue with their education, career, and life goals.