Question

A 17-year-old student comes to the high school's health-care center to get a physical required to participate in school-sponsored sports. She reports that between school, a part-time job, soccer, and hanging out with friends, she gets about 5 or 6 hours of sleep a night. The nurse could appropriately teach this student that:

1) The student needs more sleep than she is getting to stay healthy, but as long as she catches up on weekends, she will be okay.

2) Sleep is critical to learning, performing well in all activities, and maintaining relationships; teenagers need about 9 hours a night.

3) The student is getting about the right amount of sleep for her age. As long as she feels rested and energetic, no change needs to be made.

4) During adolescence the brain and body are developing in key ways, and teenagers require at least 10 hours of sleep a night to learn and perform other activities effectively.

Answer 1

The nurse should advise the student that teenagers need about 9 hours of sleep per night for optimal learning and performing well in activities. Catching up on sleep on weekends is not sufficient for sustained health. Establishing a regular sleep schedule and avoiding stimulating activities before bedtime can help maintain healthy sleep habits.

Step-by-step explanation:

The appropriate response to the student would be that sleep is critical to learning, performing well in all activities, and maintaining relationships. Teenagers typically need about 9 hours of sleep per night. While she may be managing on 5-6 hours on weekdays and catching up on weekends, it is not an ideal or healthy sleep pattern for sustained wellbeing and optimal daily functioning.

Research indicates that teenagers need more sleep than adults. According to the National Sleep Foundation, as the brain and body are developing in key ways during adolescence, sufficient rest is vital. Lack of sleep can lead to accumulated sleep debt, which affects mental clarity and alertness and can deteriorate overall health.

A regular sleep schedule and avoiding stimulating activities before bedtime can help in maintaining a healthy sleep balance. It is crucial for aspiring athletes or active students to prioritize sleep to ensure they perform their best both in sports and academics.