Poor sleep can can increase risk of heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, stroke and more.
Barry Smith, head at Great Yarmouth High School, Norfolk, has told parents to get teen kids in bed by 9pm.
But it’s not just youngsters who need kip.
Here CHRISTINA EARLE reveals why you should turn in early.
It’s not just kids that need to get to sleep early but adults too
Keeps ticker in good nick
A good sleep routine leaves the heart happy.
An American Academy of Sleep Medicine study revealed those who get by on less than six hours per night raise their risk of heart disease.
Wards off diabetes
Those who snooze more than six hours a night are less likely to develop Type 2 diabetes.
If you get less kip than this, your risk of the condition rises by 15 per cent, a US study at Harvard University found.
Six hours of sleep a night can ward of the risks of Type 2 diabetes
Keeps you trim
Getting too little sleep makes us crave carbs, according to a study by US researchers.
It showed we scoff up to 50 per cent more after a poor night’s rest, which means you are more likely to put on weight.
Protects brain
Too little shut-eye causes a loss of brain tissue and function.
Research at Uppsala University, in Sweden, discovered just one night’s poor sleep can have an adverse effect on the brain.
Getting enough sleep also boosts your immune system
Longevity
Getting at least 7.5 hours’ sleep a night can help you live longer.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine found that if you get just six hours, your chance of dying prematurely goes up four times.
THE FIVE STAGES OF SNOOZING
THERE are five stages of sleep which alternate, in various orders, in four to five cycles through the night. You need them all for good health.
They are:
Stage 1: A light sleep where you can be woken easily. You are ikely to experience muscle contractions.
Stage 2: Brain waves and heart rate slow. Body temperature drops.
Stage 3: Deep sleep. Slow brainwaves alternate with smaller, quicker ones.
Stage 4: Deep sleep deepens.
Stage 5: Rapid eye movement (REM). This is where the brain mimics its waking state and the most vivid dreams occur.
Wards off colds and infections
Sleep boosts your immune system.
A study in Holland found a lack of rest affects the function of infection-fighting white blood cells, meaning you are more likely to get sick.
Lowers cancer risk
Less than six hours’ kip can cause inflammation which ups cancer risk, a study at the University of Rochester, New York, found.
More than nine hours has the same effect, though, so best is to aim for eight.
Boosts mental health
A lack of rest puts stress on the body and heightens the risk of depression, a study in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry found.
Those who sleep more tend to be happier.
PROFESSOR Paul Gringras, sleep expert at Guy’s & St Thomas’ Hospital, London, says: “Most people don’t get enough sleep. Having a regular bed-time routine, going to bed when you feel tired and getting up at the same time every day will help.
“Sleeping in a cool, dark, quiet room will also boost sleep quality. So will having a comfortable mattress and pillow. It is vital you keep technology out of your bedroom.
“Blue light emitted from phones keeps you awake. Technology also proves a massive distraction.
“Use your bedroom for sleep, not as an office.”
Concentration
Tiredness is detrimental to your memory and concentration.
A study published by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine found poor sleep hygiene is associated with a decline in grades.
Our most vivid dreams occur in the fifth stage of sleep
Lowers blood pressure
There is a link between poor sleep and high blood pressure, which can lead to stroke and kidney failure, research in San Diego, US, found, but a good bedtime routine helps. (TheSun)