Did you know that sleep is food for the brain? Sleep is vital to your well-being; it is as important as the air you breathe, the water you drink and the food you eat. Today, more and more teenagers are eluding sleep. They go to bed only when they are tired hence waking up even more tired. Lack of sleep leaves one feeling awful in the morning, moody and it limits your ability to learn, listen, concentrate and solve problems. You can even forget things like names, numbers, your homework or a date with a special person in your life. Lack of sleep makes you prone to pimples and other skin disasters like acne. This can lead to aggressive or inappropriate behavior. As a smart teen, make sleep a priority. Decide what you need to change to get enough sleep in order to stay healthy, happy, and smart. If you want to have quality sleep make sure, your room is a sleep haven. Keep it cool, tidy and quiet. Do not consume caffeine when it is almost bedtime, as this will sabotage your sleep. So avoid coffee and chocolate late in the day in order to get some sleep at night. Try not to exercise within a few hours to bedtime. Do not leave homework for the last minute. Try to avoid watching television, using the computer and the phone in the hours before you go to bed. Try reading a chapter of a book instead. Stick to quiet, calm activities and you will fall asleep much more easily! If you do the same things every night before you go to sleep, your body will adjust. On your weekend afternoons, have a nap. Naps help you work or concentrate more efficiently because you are not tired. However, remember to keep them short, long naps that end close to bedtime will interfere with your sleep. martin.bishop18@yahoo.com
