Sleep Needed

I realize I have not posted for a while, and I apologize for that. It has been difficult to put thoughts into words recently, but I have finally found a topic I am passionate about this week.

Sleep.

I can never get enough of it. Nobody can. Exhaustion is an endless cycle here in highschool. I have taken three 2-hour naps this week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday). My mother asked if I was sick.

I'm not. Just tired.

Let me put it into perspective for you. Teenagers, like me, need to get about 9 hours of sleep a night. I get about 6-7, more or less. Most often less. And the pathetic thing is that when I count up my hours of sleep for the night, I consider 7 hours a success.

So, say I get an average of 7 hours of sleep a night. That's 49 hours a week. Add a few extra hours for Friday night (when I can sleep in on Saturday), and it's about 52 hours.

I am supposed to get 63.

63 hours of sleep a week. I am 11 hours under.That's OVER a full night of sleep. Ouch! That's like pulling one all-nighter a week...and then going to school. And taking tests. And giving presentations.

And I know people who actually do.

What causes such a lack of sleep, you may ask? Typically just being so busy. School, homework, friends, maybe a job, homework, sports, extra activities, homework...did I mention that one already?

I am the type of student who, when I am too tired to function, says, "Forget homework, I need sleep." If you know you are exhausted, what is the point of trying?! It will just take you longer to get everything done than it would if you took a nap first and then finished! Plus, then you are even more tired for school the next day, and the cycle continues.

But I know a lot of people for whom getting homework done trumps rest. They get even less sleep than I do. I also know several insomniacs who get about...3-4 hours of sleep? And then go to school, just like everybody else.

Double ouch.

Now, I have to be fair - if I was a bit more proactive in getting my work done, I would probably be able to fit more sleep in. I tell myself all the time, "Megy, you know you are gonna regret this if you don't do it now!" But do I ever just do the work right then? Rarely. I know, I know, how silly of me...but after over 6 hours at school, I am just about dead. Depending on the day. It always seems that I am the most tired through school and the afternoon. When it is actually a decent time to be going to bed, I am finally awake. Not a good system.

Whoa...Scripture Mastery coming on...drum roll, please!

Doctrine and Covenants 88:124
"...cease to sleep longer than is needful; retire to thy bed early, that ye may not be weary; arise early, that your bodies and your minds may be invigorated."

Great counsel. For highschoolers, very seldom followed. At least, the "retire to thy bed early" part. Many, including myself, arise plenty early for seminary.

But that is a blessing in and of itself. If I didn't go to seminary, I would be even more exhausted and unable to focus.

Here is a nifty little article I about how to get more sleep - Six Ways to Get Your ZZZs

What about you? Your average hours of sleep a night?