Revolutionary Leaders

Are You Tired?

Because of their over-scheduled, over-caffeinated, multitasking lifestyles, exhaustion among teenagers is an epidemic. Lauren Boyle, a history teacher at Waltham High School in Massachusetts, told newsweek: "I've learned never to dim the lights, even to show a video. If I do, there are days when a third of the class falls asleep."

Sleep deprivation is nothing to snooze at - it's been tied to diabetes, heart disease, obesity, depression, a shorter life span, and deadly car accidents. Researchers say most teenagers need nine hours of sleep a night, but more than half get seven hours or less. A university of Colorado study found that 82 percent of all kids "wake up tired and unrefreshed."

Here are my personal suggestions to getting a good night of sleep.

1. Eat a healthy snack about 30 minutes before you go to bed. Don't pig out on junk food and expect to get a good night of sleep. Obviously sugar and caffein are going to keep you from falling alseep, but pizza and other greasy foods will wake you up in the middle of the night with gas and an upset stomach.

2. Be aware of what you watch on TV before bedtime. TV stimulates the mind and the emotions to such a degree that, although make-believe, it affects our reality. Fear, sexual temptation, worry, sadness, cliffhanger action and romance will follow us right into our dreams. If you're going to watch TV before calling it a night, try a comedy.

3. End your day with Jesus! What a better way to end your day than by reading a passage of scripture and thanking God for your many blessings. Greatfulness leads to contentment. Contentment leads to peace. Peace leads to a heathy good night of sleep. Sweet dreams