A good amount of sleep can be the most important part of everyone’s day and a consistent sleep schedule is part of that. The average teenager gets about 6.5-7.5 hours of sleep every night, however, the average amount of sleep a teenager should get is about 8-10 hours.

Everyone’s body and habits are different, which is why it can be difficult to pinpoint the correct amount of sleep one should get every night. 

“I get about 8-9 hours a night which I think is enough in factual and statistical terms,” freshman Haley Hicks said. “When looking at how much you are supposed to get every night, it seems right, but it always feels like I need more.”

Math teacher, Kristen Tatum, knows the importance of mental alertness throughout the day and how enough sleep can help. 

“Sleep consistency is important because you are training your brain to know when it is time to get tired or wake up,” Tatum said. “That clear internal body clock helps you feel better throughout the day.”

Freshman, Mackenzie Raymond, agrees that having a consistent sleep schedule can influence how one’s body works. 

“I think it is important to have a sleep schedule,” Raymond says, “so that your body has a regular pattern of when to fall asleep and wake up.” 

Without a proper amount of sleep each night, a person’s entire personality and mentality can be impacted.

“On days I don’t get enough sleep, I usually am just dragging along my day, in a bad mood and it affects the way I do in class,” Hicks said. “But when I get enough sleep I usually am in a better mood and have more energy to truly listen and engage in class.”

One way that Hicks likes to help her fall and stay asleep is relaxation methods such as reading.

“The only thing I use is motivation to have more time in my bed. Reading books also has helped a lot because I find that when I am watching a TV show a few minutes before I go to bed, I can’t go to sleep as fast,” Hicks said. “If I watch an episode of a show and then read a few pages of a book then I can go to bed faster.”

Even though every person is different, everyone’s body is more likely to function properly when fully charged. 

“I usually am fine in the mornings and early afternoons when I don’t get enough sleep, but when the second half of the day hits, I start to feel the exhaustion,” Raymond said. “I feel energized for the whole day when I get enough sleep.”