Teenagers have busy lives between schoolwork, sports, and other social activities. With increasingly occupied schedules, sometimes it’s easy to let important things like sleep take a backseat while prioritizing other activities in life. Today we’re going to talk about sleep, cravings, and why it is so important to prioritize nightly rest!
If you don’t get a good night’s sleep, your body craves more junk.
Studies have shown that our bodies thrive on a minimum of 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep per night. Teenagers function best with 10 hours of sleep! These studies also show that if you do not meet these recommendations, your body will crave more sugar, carbs, and processed foods. If you are currently on a weight loss and wellness journey, these constant cravings make it harder to reach your goal, both physically and mentally.
So What Should We Do?
Prioritize sleep! Just as we prioritize diet and exercise, we also must acknowledge that sleep is equally as important and treat it that way! We must ensure that we are getting plenty of uninterrupted sleep AT NIGHT in order to optimize our health.
How Can We Prioritize Sleep?
- Pick a Bedtime
Even if you are a busy teenager, you have to create a hard stop in your activities. This is essentially a bedtime. Pick a time that works best with your schedule and stick to it. For example, you can say that at 10 pm, all computers, tablets, and phones are to be turned off, and you will go to bed. You can read a book, meditate, or simply create a dark, quiet environment for your mind to calm down and fall asleep.
- Resist the Urge to Nap
Everyone loves a good nap; however, sometimes, they can disrupt your nighttime sleep schedule. For teenagers, it’s best to try not to nap after school. If you have to sleep, make it a maximum of 30 minutes. Do not take long, 2-hour naps after school. Additionally, don’t nap after 4 pm as this will affect your ability to fall asleep at nighttime. Try your best to prioritize nighttime sleep and not sleep in the daytime.
In conclusion, if you are eating well and exercising but still not seeing results, you may want to examine your rest patterns. At the end of the day, it is just as important as those other two components when living a healthy life, especially if you have a goal of weight loss.
If you have questions about your sleeping habits or want to talk to someone who can guide you through creating a wellness plan that works for you, please speak with us! At Progressive Pediatrics, our goal is to help teens and pre-teens live the lives they deserve! We can help!
Please visit: https://progressivepediatrics.com/wellness/
Follow us on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn @ ProgressivePediatrics.
