Sleepless Nights

Junior theme: check. I have turned in my essay and I can already feel a huge weight lifted off me. My stress level has seriously declined, considering I lived and breathed that essay for the past couple of weeks. However, I know soon my stress will increase as I will have more projects or tests in other classes. This whole ordeal has got me thinking about stress levels, especially in teenagers, and the effects of stress.

I did some research, and according to a survey done, teenagers have stress levels during the school year that compare of equal that of adults. Adults have responsibilities such as providing for their families, working, and other things, while teenagers have school. If you think about it, teenagers are put under so much stress by the amount of homework they have, all the tests and essays, while at the same time being encouraged to join clubs or sports. It is almost too much for a 16 year old to handle. According to WebMD, "[teenagers] don't sleep as well, which feeds back into increasing their stress". Speaking from experience, as I am a teenager, I can verify this information. Personally I get probably an average of 6-7 hours of sleep a night, and am up very late doing work because I had obligations after school, such as sports. 

I think sleep is a big contributor to stress. I would be much more attentive and alert throughout the day, and I would be able to pay attention to what I was learning, instead of feeling like I am sleep-walking through the day. I think this whole idea of working as many hours a day as you can is a common American theme. It is a common belief that in order to get ahead you have to put in more work. This is true, but oftentimes people seem to take that idea to an extreme and work late into the night while thinking sleep is unnecessary. This then stresses them out more and tires them, which could ultimately lead to a weaker performance. I think the idea of constantly working and constantly moving is extremely prevalent in society today, but it definitely has its consequences, including a huge rise in stress levels.