Sleep is a very important part any persons routine. When we sleep our body gets a chance to rest and our brains use the time to process and store the information we have collected from the day which enhances learning. This is why those who are a younger age need sleep than those who are older, elementary school-aged children should sleep 9-11 hours a night and teenagers 8-10 hours. Since student-athletes spend most of their day at school and practice learning new things they need to get more sleep so their brains can process and sort that new information. While the brain is hard at work, the muscles are being rejuvenated for the next day and do most of their growing and repairing if there is any damage. This is why individuals that get more sleep tend to have better memory and quicker reaction times. There can be big consequences for those who do not get the recommended hours of sleep for their age every night. On the school side, not getting enough sleep can affect problem-solving and attention span. This limits the students learning ability and can negatively influence their grades. On the sports side, athletes that do not get the proper amount of sleep are shown to have a decrease in their overall performance. These athletes have less bone and muscle growth than athletes that do get enough sleep. Loss of sleep can also affect the emotions of an athlete, causing mood swings or bad decision making. Here are some tips on how to get more sleep:

– Have a set bedtime and wake up time every day, even on the weekends

– Limit technology use about an hour before bed

– Keep away from large meals right before bed

– Avoid using your bed for anything other than sleep. For example reading, homework, video games, etc.