Rector Writes | Sleep: The Final Frontier

We all know that a night of peaceful, restful sleep feels like a gift. Waking refreshed, energized, and ready to attack the day is one of life’s premier feelings. While we may not all experience this daily, doubtless we can all recall, with affection and perhaps wistfulness, those occasions when we have had a great night’s sleep. 

What is it that makes a night’s sleep “good?” Actually, it is a combination of deep sleep and REM sleep. The two are distinct stages of the sleep cycle, each with unique characteristics and functions. Deep sleep is physically restorative, while REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep is mentally restorative. To have a truly “good” night’s sleep, your body needs to experience both of these essential phases to ensure physical and mental rest and restoration. 

Adults typically cycle through these two phases every 90 to 110 minutes, completing 4 to 6 cycles per night. For teens, deep sleep is a particularly critical restorative necessity. For adolescents ages thirteen to eighteen, deep sleep is particularly important for growth, brain development, and emotional regulation. Deep sleep also regulates stress hormones, strengthens the immune system, and supports positive cognitive development. 

Ideally, teens should get 8 to 10 hours of sleep per night, and, more critically, about 20% of this should be deep sleep. To fully benefit from deep sleep, teens need 1.5 to 2 hours per night. Of course, challenges exist for teens, even those who aspire for more sleep. Circadian rhythms shift up to two hours later during puberty, making it increasingly difficult for teens to fully sleep before 11:00 p.m. Blue light from phones and other devices suppresses melatonin. This hormone signals the brain that it is time to sleep. 

Given the critical benefits provided by deep sleep, it’s important to look for ideas to offer teens access to these benefits. Here are some suggestions, all of which we promote at Chatham Hall. 

While these tips may seem straightforward, and the benefits of deep sleep are undeniably positive for teens, sleep deprivation in adolescence is a widespread and serious issue. Clinical research continues to show that teens who lack this specific stage of sleep often exhibit a combination of immediate behaviors, “red flags,” and long-term physical health declines and changes, including increased irritability and depression, increased impulsivity, risk-taking, hyperactivity, and anxiety. Memory impairment and slowed reaction times, more frequent illness, and physical aches and pains are also possible. 

It’s time to tackle sleep as the final frontier. Why not talk with your student about her honest nighttime routine at school? Share the huge benefits that deep sleep can provide them at little cost. Do they recognize any of the side effects related to a lack of deep sleep? Would they like to see those symptoms decrease or disappear? Following some simple steps could bring dramatic results. It’s certainly worth a New Year’s resolution to attack the final frontier: SLEEP!