Help me out - sleep
Sleep – we all need it, and a lot of us don’t get enough. But why is it important, and how do we make sure we’re getting what we need?
Why is sleep important?
Sleep is really important in keeping us physically and mentally healthy.
When we sleep, our bodies and minds have the time to rest, recover and process all the things which have happened to us during the day.
When we’re young, our bodies are growing and changing quickly, so we need even more sleep than adults to be able to cope with everything that’s happening.
How much do you need?
Everybody is different, but it’s generally recommended that children and young people get between 9 and 11 hours of sleep every night. Sure, it’s a lot, but think about how much happens to you every day and what you need to process each night!
If you feel tired, stressed or cranky when you wake up, this could be a sign that you haven’t had enough sleep, or haven’t slept well.
What happens if you don’t get enough?
Not getting enough sleep can be bad for our health – and not just because we feel tired during the day.
If your brain hasn’t had time to rest and recover, you might find it difficult to concentrate, you might forget things or make mistakes; not great when you have a busy day at school!
Lack of sleep can also affect how you feel, making you stressed, anxious or grumpy – which can in turn make it more difficult to get to sleep.
Your body can also feel negative effects if you don’t get enough sleep.
Without enough time to naturally ‘fix’ itself, you might be more likely to get unwell – and you might even crave unhealthy, sugary food to give you energy and help keep you awake.
Different sleep patterns
We all have a ‘body clock’ in our brains (not a real clock!) which tells us when we should feel awake and when we should feel sleepy.
Not everyone’s clock is the same – some people feel full of energy early in the morning, while others are at their best later in the day.
However, what’s really important is to have a regular routine of when you get up and when you go to bed.
When we don’t have a regular routine, our bodies don’t know what to expect and release stress hormones – and this can make us feel really stressed out and anxious.
How can you make sure you’re getting good quality sleep?
Here are some top tips for making sure you’re getting the sleep your mind and body needs –
Make sure you’re doing enough activity during the day – like running around the playground or playing sports – to make you feel tired later on.
Watch what you eat and drink during the day – especially lay off the caffeine and sugar!
Take an hour before bedtime to ‘wind down’ – so avoid things which stimulate your brain, like playing games or watching TV.
Definitely no screens – like mobiles and laptops – in bed! Make your bedroom, and especially the area around your bed FOR SLEEP ONLY. This tells your body it’s time to snooze when you climb into bed.
If there’s something on your mind, try writing down your thoughts or worries before you go to sleep to get them out of your head and onto paper.
Feeling stressed or upset can affect your sleep, so talk to someone if you’re feeling that way.
Remember, getting enough sleep and sleeping well can have a really positive effect on your body and mind, so it’s really worth improving your snoozing!
For more information about organisations which offer advice and support, check out the Advice Helplines page.