Delmar 1

Mario A. Delmar
Mrs. Ileana Tornatore
English 9 / per 2
10 May 2015
Sleep Deprivation in Teens
Sleep deprivation exists when the required sleep in a person is not met. Lack of
sufficient sleep is a rampant problem among teens. This issue appears to put teens at risk
for emotional difficulties, poor school performance and fatal accidents.
Sleep deprivation leaves negative impacts on teenagers brains. Due to a lack of
stimulants sent to the brain, those who do not have adequate amounts of sleep are often
susceptible to negative feelings such as irritability, aggression, depression and impatience.
Dr. Judith Owens sleep specialist at the Childrens National Health System in Washington
has been conducting research to determine chronic effects of sleep deprivation in teens.
According to Dr. Owens 17% of teenagers who lack sleep on a regular basis claim to be
highly depressed. Teenagers that face emotional negativity have trouble building
relationships and are not socially adept. The adolescent brain is in its final developing
stages and is put under large amounts of stress. Often, the brain cannot deal with any more
stress than it is put under biologically. Dr. Owens research results also say Teenagers with
emotional negativity are more likely to put excess amounts of stress on the brain, causing it
not to work to its full potential. These teenagers are at a higher risk of mental problems,
and teen suicide. Because sleep deprivation can cause teens to have negative emotional
effects with disastrous consequences, teenagers should get a full nine hours of sleep every
night.

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Teenagers who are sleep deprived often have life changing physical ailments. They
can have droopy skin, and circles around their eyes. They are often more prone to skin
problems. The (NCCSHS) National Coordinating Committee on School Health and Safety
Organization has the conclusion from studies that the most prominent correlation between
sleep deprivation and health problems is obesity. This article says, 77% of those who are
considered obese do not get nine hours of sleep. Obesity leads to other high-risk health
problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and other long-term
health problems. The same article published by the (NCCSHS) says Diseases such as the
ones caused by sleep deprived teens often lead to a shorter lifespan and untimely deaths.
Because premature death and long term health problems can result from sleep deprivation,
teenagers should get the recommended amount of sleep every night.

Todays teenagers suffer from many stressful issues, but perhaps the underlying
problem to many of the hardships is sleep deprivation. Tares William Howard teen sleep
specialist studies have come to the conclusion that teenage sleep deprived mind provokes
negative feelings. In his investigation Howard says sleep deprivation can lead to lowered
academic potential and cause setbacks in a teenagers life. Being deprived of sleep can
lead to irreversible physical ailments, which can lead to untimely deaths. Some people say
that adolescents can easily function on less than nine hours of sleep; however, Howards
studies have shown that without sleep, teenagers perform at a less-than-potential rate than
if they were to get a sufficient amount of sleep. Though one day of sleep deprivation may
be okay, todays teens are tomorrows future and they cannot be sleeping through life to

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make the future work.

Teenagers that suffer from sleep deprivation are victims to chronic depression and
negative emotions. These young individuals also suffer from physical ailments caused by
lack off rest and regeneration of cells and also bring stress into a teenagers life. Being
aware of a healthy amount of sleep and ways to control a person's sleeping habits are
necessary for living a long and healthy life.