Arapahoe High School is waking up on the wrong side of the bed. Every morning, Arapahoe students drag themselves out of bed, exhausted, not ready for the day ahead of them.

We all can identify with not sleeping enough, and lack of sleep is an issue facing people around the country, especially teens.

Think about it. When was the last time you got more than 8 hours of sleep on a school night? When was the last time you felt rested, refreshed, ready for a day of school? I know that it has been a long time since I felt that way, and I am sure the same is true for many Arapahoe students.

The Sleep Foundation recommends that teens get at least 8-10 hours of sleep per night, with 7 as the bare minimum. I would be surprised if more than half of the AHS student body gets that much sleep, and that has serious impacts on all aspects of life.

Sleeping is extremely important to the human body, as it allows your brain to store information into long-term memory, gives time for your immune system to work, and more. Lack of sleep has been linked to health effects, reduced cognition, delayed reactions, and even mood shifts.

So how do you get your sleep back on track? There are several ways, including setting a regular bedtime, keeping off of screens before bed, and even not eating in the hour before bedtime.

Being rested has significant impacts on how well you do in school, your physical and mental health, reduced stress, better mood, lower weight, and more.

So the real question is, why not sleep more? Why do we still go to bed well past we should?

There is no way to answer this, but think for a moment about what the world would be like if everyone got enough sleep. Think about everyone being friendlier, healthier, and happier. This sounds like a world I would want to live in, and I am certain others will agree with me.

So the next time you are pondering whether or not to watch another episode or keep scrolling through social media, think about how beneficial it would be to get a good night’s rest.