Dear Little Brother,

I know you are getting ready to transition into High School and are heading into a new chapter in
life. There are going to be many challenges coming your way. One of the challenges you will
have to face at some point is lack of sleep. You might think that not sleeping is not a huge deal,
but I want to share with you the effects of not getting enough sleep. But first, I want to tell you
how important sleeping is. Sleep allows our bodies to rest and grow as well as letting our brain
do its job for proper life functioning. Sleep affects both your mental and physical health. Have
you ever noticed that when you do not get a lot of sleep, you wake up depressed and non-
energetic? Well, those are some of the factors with lack of sleep. When you do not get the right
amount of sleep, your brain activity changes, which can lead to chemical imbalances. When the
chemicals in your brain are not balanced right, it can cause mental health issues like depression
and anxiety. At your age, you need to try and get 8-10 hours of sleep each night that way, you
can wake up feeling happier and more energetic. At your age, sleep is especially important
because you are growing and transitioning into adulthood, so your body needs its’ rest. Not
getting enough sleep at night will keep you from learning new information throughout the day,
especially in school. Not being able to fully learn and process new information will keep you
from being able to remember it in the future. Not being able to remember the information in the
future will make it hard when you have to take tests for class. I know with high school; you are
going to have a lot of homework and things that you have to complete by specific times. I also
know that you are going to want to stay up late and watch YouTube, but you have to remember
to sleep. It is not healthy to pull all-nighters no matter how much work you have to do. You will
think that staying up all night will let you get more work done, but really you will be able to
complete more when you get the right amount of sleep. I will try and help you create a schedule
that way you can get as close to 8 hours of sleep as possible, while also completing your
homework. There are some things you can do that will help you fall asleep faster and help you
sleep better at night. You can read a book before you go to bed, this will allow you to relax and
fall asleep. You can also put up your electronics 30 minutes before you go to sleep. You should
avoid taking naps throughout the day because this will keep you awake longer at night. If you do
get enough sleep at night, you will feel better overall and will be able to stay focused and do
good in school. Throughout your life, just remember how important sleep is. I know you will do
great and achieve your goals.

Love,
Summer