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Teens in Singapore aren’t getting enough sleep and experts say it’s detrimental to the physical and mental health. TEO YIN YIN checks out what’s keeping them awake.

 

Lim Ya Yun, a third year Pharmacy student in Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP), gets an average of six hours of sleep on weekdays. On worse days, she survives on barely two hours of sleep. “It’s difficult to function in school with such minimal sleep and I’m unable to concentrate on simple tasks,” she says.

The Teen Sleep Survey Singapore (TSSS) 2007 reveals that “80 percent of teens are getting less than eight hours of sleep on school days, while only 2.6 percent are getting the recommended nine hours”.

In addition, a global survey conducted by ACNielsen in 2005 found that 54 percent of Singaporeans stay awake until past midnight, and they usually go to sleep between 12am to 2am. On a typical school day, most students get up at about 6am to 7am to prepare for the day, and that’s a scant five hours after they went to bed.

It’s evident that teenagers are not getting the sleep they need.

“Insufficient sleep can be harmful, sometimes even life-threatening. When deprived of sleep, the brain functions less optimally, resulting in sleepiness,” explains Dr Lim Li Ling, medical director and consultant neurologist at the Singapore Neurology and Sleep Centre, the principle organiser of the TSSS 2007.

She explains that the lack of sleep is classified as a sleeping disorder, and it’s on the rise among all age groups simply caused by modern living.

Uncovering the reasons to the lack of sleep

The TSSS 2007 also shows that 66.5 percent of the students stay up late doing homework or studying. Other late-night activities include watching television, surfing the Internet and chatting online.

Ya Yun says, “Even though most lectures and tutorials end before 5pm or 6pm, I usually reach home only after 7pm.”

She adds, “By then I still have assignments to complete and the following day school starts at 9am. I have no idea how to accomplish everything without compromising on my sleep time.”

Kevin Ng, a second year NP Engineering student, recounts that on several occasions, he didn’t sleep for days because of poor time management. He recalled that when he was a freshman, he couldn’t cope with the examinations and his football trainings. In order to accomplish both tasks, he has to sacrifice his sleep for two days.

“I’m terribly unorganised and the overloading amount of school projects simply suffocates me. I barely even have time for a proper meal,” he says.

Dr Lim mentions that it’s difficult to wind down when there are distractions like the Internet, television, and even the mobile phone. It’s easy to get carried away.

Why Sleep?

Dr Lim observes that many people view sleep as an indulgence rather than a vital activity to rest for good health.

“Many people are unaware of the harmful health effects of missing sleep,” she says.

According to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), sleeping consolidates your memory and replenishes your energy so you feel refreshed and alert the following day. Sleeping also ensures that the body functions normally, such as making sure important growth hormones are secreted.

Lack of sleep has harmful effects on the body both physically and mentally. BBC reports that a chronic lack of sleep lowers your immunity and ups the risk of developing hallucinations and other mental problems.

Dr Lim adds that sleep deprivation in the long run is associated with a shorter life span and may even cause medical conditions like heart attacks, depression, diabetes, and attention deficit disorder (ADD). In extreme cases, it can even cause seizures or a stroke.

Now, here’s the big question: How much sleep do we really need? Dr Lim advises that the ideal sleep duration is around six to eight hours, however the amount of sleep differs individually and still remains a variable entity.

Now to turn the clock back

Dr Lim says that one way for the body to catch up on lost sleep is by sleeping in longer during weekends whenever possible.

She adds that youths should also strive to sleep at least an hour earlier than usual. Parents should monitor their children to ensure sufficient sleep.

“It would help to have an effective time management and be organised. One good way is to get an organiser and plan your time properly.”

Tips for a good night’s sleep

Some tips from NSF:

1) Avoid caffeine (coffee, tea, soft drinks, chocolate), nicotine (cigarettes, tobacco products) and
alcohol when it’s close to bedtime

2) Exercise regularly, but complete your workout at least three hours before bedtime

3) Establish a regular relaxing, not alerting, bedtime routine (e.g. taking a bath or relaxing in a hot tub, lighting scented lavender candles)

4) Go to bed at the same time every night

5) Listen to quiet music or drink warm milk

6) Create a sleep-conducive environment that is dark, quiet, and preferably cool and comfortable