In our school community, responsibilities can become so overwhelming that we neglect sleep. 

Dr. Zach McClain, medical director, said, “Sleep is one of the most essential parts of our life. It is required for all sorts of physiological functions; it helps keep our body in homeostasis; it is important for memory and how we process information; and it is also important for our mood. The amount of sleep required can vary from person to person, but for teenagers, the average amount of sleep you should get is 8-10 hours.” 

When students have trouble sleeping, Dr. McClain suggests Cognitive Behavioral Treatment for Insomnia (CBTI), a method with three main steps. 

First, find something relaxing to do before bed, such as coloring, journaling, meditating, stretching or reading. 

Next, completely refrain from using screens an hour before bedtime, since light from the screen reduces the secretion of melatonin, an essential hormone for initiating sleep. 

Third, only use the bed for sleeping, not for working, watching streaming shows, talking on the phone, or other activities. 

If someone works on their bed, for instance, their brain will come to associate bed with work rather than sleep. This subconsciously causes the brain to be in work mode rather than sleep mode at bed time. 

CBTI also promotes establishing a consistent wake-up time to establish a healthy routine, as well as eliminating caffeine consumption after noon.

Following CBTI and some of its rules about avoiding screens at night, not consuming caffeine too late, and relaxing can all help students achieve sufficient sleep. 

However, if students are still struggling, they can visit the Health Center for advice on developing healthy sleeping habits. 

Especially as stress and work build up over the year, students should prioritize their sleep schedules. 

Getting the proper amount of sleep is important, as it allows us to devote our best selves to the next day’s activities – whether in academics, arts, or sports.