(March 26, 2004) — Teenage years: a troubled period? A definite yes. Being a teenager can come with pains in the behind that know no bounds. As sad as it is, some students are brought to tears over a bad grade on a chemistry quiz. Amid the AP classes, SATs and relationships, somewhere between the procrastination, the cramming, pretending to study for tests, struggling with a part-time job at Subway and pulling all-nighters, a student is likely to be set off toward insanity. Now, if only we had more time to sleep. If there’s one thing teens complain about most, it’s the lack of sleep. Whether it’s a One Tree Hill marathon or cramming for the Chapter 3 math test, students are keeping up with the bad habit of missing out on sleep. According to the December 2003 issue of Psychology Today , “We’re sleeping less and spending less time in social and leisure pursuits; the resulting stress can steal away even more sleep.” Most teenagers think they’re invincible and see no problem in overlooking a good night’s sleep. According to Psychology Today , losing sleep can affect “our ability to learn, our skills, our memory, stamina, health and safety.” Senior Akram Mohamed keeps a timetable to organize his time. “It’s all about time management,” Mohamed said. “If students would stop chatting online and watching television and get some sleep, we wouldn’t have as many people complaining about stress.” Mohamed said that when he is deprived of “something as precious as sleep,” he doesn’t “feel right.” Lack of sleep also affects our mood and “chronic sleep disruption appears to be the single biggest trigger for depression,” the Psychology Today article states. Sophomore Raffi Hagopian said that he believes his mental health “is in the gutter.” With the Robotics competition alongside enrollment in honors and AP classes, Hagopian said that “sometimes [you] just want to get away from it all.” Chronic insomnia causes “irritability, headaches and muscle pain.” According to Psychology Today, it “destroys concentration and mental-well being, it weakens coping skills and robs vitality.” Simply put, stress is related to lack of sleep. High school undoubtedly takes part in teenage stress. “In the midst of all your craziness that is high school, peaks of stress often occur,” school psychologist Christine Karg said. “Students at Clark tend to be high achievers that place a high demand on themselves,” Karg said. Karg recommended talking to someone, whether an adult or a friend, when stressed out. “Know that you’re not going through this alone,” Karg said. If the lack of sleep is getting to you, take naps in the day to rejuvenate yourself. She recommended that students experiencing stress find an “escape,” take a break from their work or keep a journal to jot down their thoughts. “The majority of the cases I deal with relate to the student experiencing stress in one form or another.” Karg is available in her office Mondays and Tuesdays with an open-door policy to those who wish to see her. Junior Ani Arakelian looks at her mental health in a positive matter. “Knowing that I can literally drive away from all my problems one day keeps me sane,” Arakelian said.