If you are a student, read this: There's a simple thing you can do to reduce your risk of anxiety and depression:
GET MORE SLEEP.

How much is enough? Nine hours a night seems to be key . Research shows that adequate sleep is correlated to lower levels of anxiety and depression in all ages. But, in young adults the still-developing brain needs more time to rest and grow. Longitudinal studies suggest that as sleep suffers over time, the odds of experiencing depression and anxiety rise.

Think you get enough already? The odds are, you don't. New research finds that a paltry 5 percent of high school seniors get the recommended 9 hours of sleep per night -- That's 5 percent! The biggest sleep-robbers I see in students are over-scheduling, increasing academic demands, and of course, social time and electronics.

I encourage several sleep-promoting strategies:

1. Set regular sleep times and stick to them as much as possible. Playing catch-up on the weekends doesn't work!
   
2. Limit artificial light (especially screens) 1-2 hours before bedtime.
3. Get some natural light each day, especially morning sunlight.
4. Recognize the value of sleep, and its increase in your productivity, so you will prioritize it. That extra hour you spend sleeping tonight will make you think quicker, remember better, and make you more resilient to stress tomorrow.
   
5. Rethink busy schedules, and consider "downsizing" your extracurriculars to those that really matter to you.

If that sounds extreme, imagine suffering from anxiety or a depressive episode that could have been avoided. Mental disorders can rob you of time, relationships, health, and academic gain.

Do your brain a favor and get your rest!