Sleep well to be more productive in school

Most teenagers, especially in day schools, dont get enough sleep at night and as a result go to school tired. Back in the day, it was because school started so early. Kids would literally be at their desks by the crack of dawn.These days, however, sleep is not fully utilized because of the many distractions teenagers are faced with. With all these social networks like facebook and Skype, teens find themselves sleeping at ungodly hours and then heading to school the next day, deprived!Mutako Patience, a senior five student says, “When I leave school everyday and I’m done with my home work, Twitter is the next step. My biggest problem is that I find it very hard to log out. I just can’t stop tweeting till very late in the night then find myself dosing off at school.” This is not just her but most teens as well. Mukunzi Loenillaa, a mother says, “Even when you send them to sleep early they still wake up late. They never sleep when they are supposed to because they have phones that they keep pressing all night, chatting with friends.” Scientifically, there are biological changes in teens that affect their ability to sleep. According to a recent study, ”biological changes that take place in puberty keep kids from falling asleep as early as they did when they were younger.” Another study measured the presence of the sleep-promoting hormone melatonin in teenagers’ saliva at different times of the day. They found that the melatonin level rises at night -- and remains at a higher level in the morning. When teenagers haven’t had enough sleep, it affects both their mood and their ability to think and perform appropriately. Parents should know that sleep patterns change dramatically when it comes to teenagers. Babies, toddlers and the like wake up at ungodly hours, even on weekends! Make it a point to sleep early enough. I know it is hard adjusting but it is the only way you will feel fresh and ready to take on a new challenge at school.