Katie Foley – Mustangs Ahead

(LAKEWOOD RANCH, FL)- It is difficult for Mustangs to find a healthy balance of work and relaxation.

Many Mustangs have stressful experiences due to the demands of school and one of the biggest impacts is sleep deprivation.

According to sophomore Jennifer Schillinger, “For someone who participates in sports directly after school, I sometimes find it hard to balance homework and my extracurriculars.”

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) has always suggested eight to ten hours of sleep for adolescents, but reports only 66-92% of adolescents are barely reaching eight hours.

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Attention span, lack of concentration, and difficuty problem solving are all problems that can occur due to sleep deprivation.

These are critical elements that can have a heavy effect on an adolescents’ education.

LRHS nurses Laura Anderson and Christine Koch advised, “Getting enough sleep should be a priority for Mustangs. Making an easy-to-follow schedule and starting a solid routine can be extremely helpful.”

While it may take practice, adjusting to a solid sleeping schedule is essential.

Ameritech, the College of Healthcare, provides more tips here.