Young & Restless: When Sleeping Becomes a Nightmare

Take this quiz and find out!

1. When you wake up in the morning you feel….

1. ready for the day to begin, even though you might not want to get out of bed.
2. like the “snooze” button is your best friend.
3. tired, but you know you can get though the day.

2. Math is your favorite class. Your teacher gives you word problems that you know you can do. You…

1. get them done with time to spare.
2. notice that the class is halfway over and you haven’t gotten though the first
   question yet.
3. feel like you have to read the questions more than once to understand them.

3. In gym class, you’re supposed to be playing kickball, your best sport.

1. You are super energetic and can’t wait to play.
2. You sit on the sidelines and just can’t get into it.
3. You play the game, but you can’t concentrate and you score no points. You wonder what’s wrong with you ‘cause you KNOW this is your sport.

4. You’re at a school assembly and the principal is talking about graffiti in the bathroom. You…

1. are bored because you’ve heard this a thousand times before and can pretty much guess what she’ll say next.
2. start nodding off—maybe even snoring—two minutes into the speech.
3. think about what you’re going to eat and keep looking at the clock.

5. You’re sitting in the cafeteria at lunch when your best friend asks if you’re
ready for the quiz next period. Your response is…

1. "Hell yeah, I’m ready!”
2. “What quiz?”
3. “Shoot, I forget what I studied.”

6. It’s 11:30 at night. You’re in bed and your best friend calls you with some gossip. What do you do?

1. Tell her you’ll talk to her tomorrow—you’re sleeping!
2. Talk to her for the next two hours about her ex’s new girlfriend.
3. Listen for a few minutes, then tell her you have to go to bed.

Mostly A’s:
You seem to understand how important sleep is⎯and you don’t let other activities interfere. Stay healthy and keep being responsible with your sleep!

Mostly B’s:
You’re suffering from sleep deprivation. You need to get back on track and get nine to ten hours of sleep per night. Try putting yourself on a regular sleep schedule. You can check out our “Tips for Getting a Good Night’s Sleep” for some ways to help. If these doesn’t work, you may need to contact a doctor for treatment.

Mostly C’s:
You’re on the border of being sleep deprived. Even though most of the time you get enough sleep, you still sometimes get off-track. Try to stick to a routine and you’ll be in good shape.

Tips on Getting a Good Night’s Sleep

Having trouble falling asleep? Check out these tips to help you catch up on your zzzzz’s.

• If you have a lot on your mind, vent by getting that journal out and writing down the things that are making you feel stressed.
• Dim your lights and throw on some slow jams. Listening to relaxing music might be just what you need to get some rest.
• Soak up some suds by taking a soothing hot bath.
• Heat up your insides by drinking a glass of warm milk.
• If you’re not that tired, avoid lying in bed until you’re really tired.
• Don’t do any other activities (like reading, watching T.V., eating, etc.) while in bed.
• Before you reach for that soda, remember that caffeine can keep you up at night. So try to avoid caffeine after 6 p.m.

For More Info

National Sleep Foundation - www.sleepfoundation.org

Snooze... or Lose!: 10 “No-War” Ways to Improve Your Teen’s Sleep Habits, by Dr. Helene A. Emsellem, M.D., with Carol Whiteley

Snooze…or Lose! - www.snoozeorlose.com

Sources

www.shuteye.com, National Institutes of Health, “Teens and Sleep Deprivation”: homeworktips.about.com/od/timemanagement/a/sleeptime.htm, “Helping Teens Make Peace with Sleep”: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6894556

“On average, teens are only sleeping seven hours a night_two hours too little!”

“Nights are hard, and with all my tossing and turning, I wonder if I will ever fall asleep.“

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