The effects of sleep deprivation during adolescence are detrimental. This is because sleep deprivation can lead to negative results, and without proper rest, this can cause something called “deprivation psychosis.” Despite this, some teens may stay up all night in an attempt to pull off an all-nighter or just scrolling through social media. Children may even stay up playing “just one more” video game.
For whatever reason, they’re up at night. It is best for them to put those plans on pause and rest. Think about the impact of these actions. Their mood, energy, and health are all damaged when they ignore their body’s natural need for sleep. Since the benefits of a healthy sleep cycle include stress relief, mood improvement, and health recovery, it is especially important for teens and younger youth to implement this in their daily routines.
The Causes of Sleep Insufficiency
- Hormones: When teenagers hit puberty, they need a one to two hours boost (roughly) in the amount of sleep they get. These hormonal changes will also cause these teens to stay up longer, but as schools open early, this gets in the way of their need for sleep.
- Electronics: Smartphones, tablets, and laptops — all contribute to reducing sleep time. However, it has been reported that teenagers who put down these devices get, on average, an additional four hours of sleep than those who don’t.
- Sleeping disorders: Sleeping disorders such as insomnia, narcolepsy, and sleep apnea can also affect their schedules.
- Alcohol use: The increase in underage drinking is an awful epidemic. Substance abuse also plays a huge role in sleep deprivation.
What Are the Symptoms?
Though sleep deprivation in adolescence causes many symptoms, these are its most common ones:
- Trouble thinking, remembering, and concentrating.
- Slower motor skills.
- Fatigue and drowsiness.
- Mood swings include irritation, anger, and anxiety.
- Behavioral issues.
The longer this deprivation goes, the more it resembles the effects of alcohol intoxication. An idea of how this would look includes:
- Reckless behavior.
- Incoherent speech or trouble when speaking.
- Visual and tactical-based hallucinations.
- Confusion and poor decision-making.
- Micro-sleep: when the body repeatedly falls asleep for a period of seconds
The Stages of Sleep Deprivation:
- Stage one: (After 24 hours): Puffy eyes, irritability, anger, high-stress levels, low alertness, risk of injury, drowsiness, and eye bags.
- Stage two: (After 36 hours): Difficulty learning, increasing levels of low alertness, poor decision making, changes in behavior, and troubles with memory.
- Stage three: (After 48 hours): High anxiety levels, increasing fatigue, increasing irritability, depersonalization, and high-stress levels.
- Stage four: (Awake more than 72 hours): Increased depersonalization, hallucinations, and disoriented thinking.
- Stage five: (Awake more than 96 hours): After the four days of missed sleep, the need to rest will become intolerable, as it seems like reality disorients itself. Additionally, adolescence will also be at risk of sleep deprivation psychosis. This disorder usually goes away after the body has gotten a sufficient amount of sleep.
So How Much Sleep Do Adolescence Need?
- Children between the ages of 6-12, should have a sleep cycle that varies from nine to 12 hours per day.
- Teenagers between the ages of 13-18, should have a sleep cycle that varies from eight to 10 hours per day.
It has been reported that youth (ages 6-12) who suffer from sleep deprivation are more prone to anxiety, behavioral issues, poor health, and contracting injuries.
Treatments for Sleep Deprivation
Breathing techniques are an easy solution to this dilemma. This is because slow breathing and deep breaths result in melatonin production in the body. This hormone is essential for good sleep. Additionally, breathing techniques are proven to ease the mind from stress and help the body relax. Here’s a guide on how to do a breathing technique:
- In a comfortable position, a person closes their eyes and breathes in and out for one to five minutes.
- With each inhale, be sure to inhale through the chest and try to get as much air into the lungs as possible.
- Try to focus on the air as it passes through the nose, as it comes through the lungs, and as one exhales.
- Try not to erase the thoughts that may come across one’s mind and try to acknowledge them instead. By acknowledging them, a person gives the mind time to get its “last words” out before complete relaxation. Patience is key in this exercise.
- Though this step is not necessary, people could try to hold their breath for a couple of seconds after inhaling.
- Words of affirmation can go a long way. Phrases like “I am calm” or “my body is resting” may help with calming the mind and assuring it. However, words of affirmation are not necessary either.
Muscle relaxation is good for inducing better sleep, reducing fatigue, and lowering blood pressure. Most often than not, when the body is not feeling up to par, the mind won’t either. This technique not only releases the built tension in the body but also eases the mind. Here’s a guide on how to do muscle relaxation:
- In a comfortable position, take a couple of deep breaths.
- Try holding one’s breath and try to focus on certain parts of the body. In each place, tense or “clench” them. Examples: face, arms, hands, legs, and teeth.
- On each exhale, release this built tension.
- Like above, one could also repeat affirmations such as “I am relaxed” or “I am calm.” Again, affirmation helps to ease the mind and body, but this step is not necessary.
Medication
Over-the-counter drugs are medications that are sold to customers that do not need a prescription from a healthcare official. Though these are only just a few types of medications, they are very effective. These medications can be found almost at any pharmacy or store.
- Diphenhydramine (Benadryl).
- Melatonin.
- NyQuill.
Prescription drugs are medications that are only dispensed to those who have a written letter from a healthcare official so that they may receive it. Unlike over-the-counter drugs, these medications are much stronger.
- Suvorexant (Belsomra).
- Temazepam (Restoril).
- Triazolam (Halcion).
How to Avoid Sleep Deprivation:
- Set a timely sleep schedule.
- Limit the time on electronics.
- Reduce one’s alcohol intake.
- Increase physical activity.
- Try calming exercises.
Sleep is a very important thing at any age. If the helpful tips mentioned above don’t help, try saying something to the family physician. They may have some other ideas to help one from sleep deprivation.
Written by Khalyse Hemingway
Sources:
Betterhealth.vic: Causes of sleep deprivation
CDC: Importance of sleep
Cleveland Clinic: Stages and symptoms
Cleveland Clinic: Types of prescription pills
Health Line: Sleep deprivation timeline
Hopkins Medicine: Stress relief to the rescue
Mayo Clinic: Treatment
NationJewish.Org: progressive muscle relaxation
NIH: Slow deep breathing
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