Teenagers today are expected to balance school, sleep, exercise, social lives, sports, screens and more. With packed schedules and late-night scrolling, teens often end up neglecting the two most important parts of maintaining good health: sleep and exercise. Research shows that these two habits are not just important, but they are essential for teens to function physically and emotionally.
According to TeensHealth, Teens should get 8 to 10 hours of sleep each night. Sleep is essential for teenagers to grow and develop normally, thrive academically and more. Without enough sleep, teenagers could have health problems, emotional problems and more. Most teenagers are not able to hit this goal every night, whether it is staying up late on electronics or having a lot of schoolwork to do. Teenagers could end up with serious problems if they lack sleep. One possible solution is that high schools across the country push their start times later in the day, so that teenagers have more time to sleep.
Junior Tamer Hussein usually sleeps 5 to 6 hours on school nights, mostly because his phone keeps him up at night. Hussien also said that he has trouble with tests or summatives in his early morning classes because he gets such little sleep.
Additionally, exercise is also essential for teenagers. According to the CDC, Teenagers need at least 60 minutes of exercise a day. Exercise reduces symptoms of anxiety, depression, or other mental health problems in teens while also improving academic performance, mood and focus.
Exercise usually helps “reduce my stress” about things in school, and I think it also helps improve my school life junior Nolan Granquist said.
Another important benefit of exercise is that it is able to help regulate sleep. According to Penn State researchers, teenagers who get at least 60 minutes of exercise a day fall asleep faster, get better quality sleep and sleep longer. This is because exercise helps the body release stress, making it easier to wind down at night.
“After exercising, I feel better about my day, but I also have less energy and fall asleep earlier,” Hussein said.
Although, according to statistics from the American Heart Association, only 1 in 4 teens get the recommended 1 hour of exercise a day. Lack of exercise in a day can lead to an increased risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease and high blood pressure. Additionally, a lack of exercise can cause sleep problems, low energy, mental health problems and more. Experts say that the lack of teen exercise is partially due to electronics and a decline in physical education programs in schools.
“I feel like getting exercise just makes you feel better about yourself and your body, so I think it’s very important,” Hussein said.
Not only is exercise essential for all teenagers, but it is especially important for teenagers who play sports. According to the Orthopedic Institute of Ohio, exercise for athletes is essential to build strength, endurance, flexibility and balance. By doing so, athletes will reduce the risk of injury such as sprains, fractures and more.
“I try to exercise daily because it helps me get better at my sport and also reduce any injury risks,” junior Xander Carbon said.
Exercise and sleep are both vital for teenagers’ mental health, overall health and academic performance. With busy schedules and the addition of screens, teens struggle to get their daily sleep and exercise needs. Whether it is getting 8 hours of sleep or at least an hour of exercise, teens who make these habits a priority are setting themselves up for better health in all areas.
