Well according to a 2012 longitudinal study of youth in two Minnesota cohort studies, they found that less sleep - both weekday and total was associated with substance misuse, including an increase in past-month cigarette usage and marijuana use 2 years later.
A recent analysis of data through an annual survey of middle and high school students in one of the largest school systems in the country also revealed that not getting enough sleep directly correlates with higher incidence of several risky behaviors. For instance, students who reported getting 6 hours of sleep per night were three times as likely to have started drug use than their counterparts who got between 8-9 hours of sleep per night.
As a former high school student and current college student, I personally know the adverse effects of not getting enough sleep. Not only do I feel like I’m running on empty but by staying up later I tend to feel moodier and unprepared for what the day holds.
Knowing the risks of losing sleep, here are 10 things you can do to build good sleep habits as suggested by sleep expert Dr. Adam Mosocovitch
- Keep a relatively regular sleep and wake up time without major changes between weekdays and weekends (sleeping in during weekends can cause problems during the weekdays)
- The bedroom should be used mainly for sleep and relaxation
- Schedule a relaxing period before going to sleep to separate your body and mind from a crazy day
- It’s OK to nap. A short nap after school can be helpful
- Be aware that alcohol and sleepiness can be a lethal combination. Even a small amount of alcohol combined with sleepiness can make you significantly impaired
- Alcohol and drugs interfere with the quality of your sleep
- Assess your daily intake of caffeine. Coffee, tea, and sodas can disrupt your sleep, particularly if consumed closer to bedtime
- If you hold a part-time job, allow yourself enough time for homework and other activities
- Get enough sleep at night to be fully alert throughout the next day (Biologically, teenagers require 9-10 hours of sleep on average)
- Eliminate your sleep debt. Sleep debt can accumulate over days and weeks. Eliminating this debt by sleeping more will result in improved mood and better mental functioning.