Why Are People Lacking Sleep?

Kejsi Ukaj she/her, Writer|May 5, 2022

Art Credit: Katie Becker

Many people do not get enough quality sleep, and this can affect their health, well-being, and ability to do everyday activities. Occasional interruptions during sleep can be a nuisance, while an ongoing lack of quality sleep can affect a person’s performance at work or school, their ability to function day to day, their quality of life, and their health.

Reasons teens lose sleep

Insomnia is usually a result of stress, life events, or habits that disrupt sleep. Treating the underlying cause can resolve the insomnia, but sometimes it can last for years.

I think most teenagers suffer from sleep loss because of the stress from school or other things. Sleep loss for teenagers can be difficult because they will go to school tired and not be able to focus. For me, sleep loss is something that I always struggle with; I’m always tired and don’t have the energy to do anything. 

I think that having a lot of daily homework can make students stressed and that makes them not get enough sleep. Older people could not be getting enough sleep because they have to work and pay bills. 

Way to sleep better

There are many things that help people to sleep better and easier. For me, sleeping with music or in a dark room helps, although sometimes that makes me overthink so I may also sleep in loud and bright places occasionally. What you like depends on you. 

From the article by the Sleep Foundation says, “Multiple factors can cause or contribute to sleep deprivation including poor sleep hygiene, lifestyle choices, work obligations, sleep disorders, and other medical conditions.” Sleep hygiene can be a big factor which people don’t really know about. Sleep hygiene is something you always have to look at, having a clean space will make it a lot easier for people to sleep because you don’t have to worry about cleaning your room for hours or other spaces so it can be a relief.  

BTMS Students Hours of Sleep

This is a diagram on BTMS students’ sleep hours and as you can see more than 50% of students get 6-7 hours of sleep. Do you think this is bad or good?