Sleep Student Resources

SBIRT Resources for Students & Teens

Did You Know?
Health Effects
Screentime and Sleep
Tips for Getting Enough Sleep

Did You Know?

Almost half – 47% – of SPS students in grades 6-9 say they aren’t getting enough sleep. Research says teens should get 8-10 hours of sleep per night – every night. Scroll through the tabs below to learn more about the effects of not getting enough sleep:

Health Effects

Readiness to learn

Lack of sleep can affect the brain’s ability to learn. It also inhibits creativity.

Mood

Lack of sleep can worsen your mood by causing irritability.

Emotions

Emotional reactions can become exaggerated when you don’t get enough sleep.

Wellbeing

Sleep-deprived individuals are more likely to report feelings of anxiety or feelings of depression.

Sickness

When you don’t get enough sleep, your risk of getting sick goes up by 300%. Lack of sleep can also affect how well your body responds to vaccines.

Metabolism

Sleep loss over time impairs glucose metabolism and promotes diabetes, and impairs food metabolism which promotes weight gain. Lack of sleep can also affect the body’s hormonal systems.

Long-term health

Losing sleep over time can leads to higher rates of heart disease and Alzheimer’s or cognitive impairment.

Mortality

People who don’t get enough sleep don’t live as long as people who get the recommended amount of sleep.

Decision-making

Lack of sleep can make teens more likely to engage in risky activities like drunk driving, texting while driving, or not wearing a helmet or seatbelt.

Accidents

Lack of sleep can make people more prone to accidental injury or even accidental death.

Substance Use

Teens who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to try or use alcohol, cigarettes, or other drugs.

Screentime and Sleep

Texting, gaming, social media, and scrolling the internet are terrible for sleep. Here’s why:

Activity

Online activities are too exciting for nighttime and keep your brain alert – especially since many are specifically designed to keep you playing or scrolling.

Blue Light

The blue light from screens tricks the brain into thinking it’s daytime – making it harder to fall asleep.

FOMO (Or, the fear of missing out)

Having devices nearby during sleep makes it harder to ignore the lure of socializing with friends and checking notifications after bedtime.

Tips for Getting Enough Sleep

To make sure you get enough sleep every night, you can:

1. Pick a bedtime: Plan backward to find the time that you need to go to sleep to get at least 8 hours of sleep – and stick to that time, even on the weekends.

2. Establish a routine: Do the same thing every night before bed, to remind your body that it’s time for bed. Some ideas are:

Washing up or brushing your teeth
Saying goodnight to household members
Journaling or reading a book
Stretching or deep breathing
Having a small glass of water

3. Put down your devices: Phones and screens make your brain want to stay awake.

4. Create a sleepy environment: If possible, adjust your environment to be cool, dark, and quiet. Consider an eye mask, ear plugs, or “white noise.”

5. Avoid caffeine (and other substances): Caffeine, alcohol, and drugs can all interfere with building healthy sleep routines.

6. Create healthy habits: Eating healthy food, getting exercise, and opting outside during the day can help your body develop a rhythm.

7. Avoid napping: Naps, especially longer ones after 3pm, can throw off your ability to fall asleep at the right time.

8. Manage stress: Too much stress can impact sleep. Watch this video to learn more about how stress can affect sleep: Sleep Well (Stress Management Plan for Teens).

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