Florida School Toolkit for K-12 Educators to Prevent Suicide

Mood indicating • depression • anxiety • l oss of interest • irritability • humiliation/shame • agitation/anger • relief/sudden improvement Some adolescents are overwhelmed and are not able to manage all of their emotions and feelings. Often, this can be displayed through increased irritability and hostility towards others in their lives. A number of adolescents are sleep-deprived, and although the solution may seem as simple as their parents getting them to bed early, adolescents are not wired to go to bed early. Specifically, their levels of melatonin, the sleep hormone, is released later at night and reaches its peak in the early morning, which means teens are more likely to be sleepy in the morning compared to younger students. The National Sleep Foundation recommends that teens get 8–10 hours of sleep per night. Sleep hygiene is important for overall well-being. It is important for SMHPs to know there are associations between sleep disturbances and suicidal thoughts and behaviors. However, many secondary schools start as early as 7:00 a.m. or 7:30 a.m., which results in many adolescents not getting the recommended amount of sleep. 113