79 A Christian Guide to Body Stewardship, Diet and Exercise To help combat this, the National Sleep Foundation recommends dimming the lights as bedtime approaches to help boost melatonin levels thereby making it easier for adolescents to fall asleep earlier. Additionally, exposing them to bright lights as soon as possible in the morning may help them wake up and feel more alert sooner (National Sleep Foundation, n.d.; National Sleep Foundation, 2010). Sleep Deprivation Sleep deprivation is a condition where the amount of sleep received fails to meet the physiological needs of the body and mind. Studies have shown that the majority of Americans are sleep deprived (Murphy & Delanty, 2007). Although, occasional sleep deprivation is inevitable, chronic sleep deprivation is problematic. Research shows that chronic sleep deprivation can have major consequences on one’s emotional, mental, and physical wellbeing (Walters & Byl, 2013). Some of the symptoms of chronic sleep deprivation include: • General fatigue • Emotional irritability • Cognitive impairment • Physical impairment • Psychosis (a mental disorder characterized by a disconnection from reality) How Much Sleep Is Recommended? As depicted in Figure 4.6, sleep requirements fluctuate significantly based on age (Condor, 2001). For most adults (i.e., ages 18-64), the general recommendation is about 8 hours of sleep each night. However, individual sleep needs can vary significantly (Dement & Vaughan, 1999). In addition to age, gender and genetics may affect sleep needs as well. Ironically, too much sleep can also be problematic. Research has shown increased mortality rates for those who routinely get substantially less than 7 hours of sleep per night as well as those who routinely get 9 hours or more (Ferrie et al., 2007; Gallicchio & Kalesan, 2009; Hublin et al., 2007).
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