God wants us to take care of the bodies he created. When the Bible refers to our bodies as temples (1 Corinthians 6:19), we usually associate that with the need to abstain from immoral sexual activity. But God also wants us to nurture our “temples” by giving them proper rest and nutrition.

Teenagers are notorious for late-night study sessions and parties, as well as for wavering between the extremes of junk-food indulgence and harsh diets. And that behavior takes a toll. Most experts say teenagers need about nine hours of sleep a night, but many get only about seven. Lack of sleep, according to researchers, contributes to physical and psychological problems among young people, from forgetfulness and a lack of coordination to depression and increased drug use.

Kids’ busy schedules also lead to poor eating habits and a lack of exercise. An estimated 30% of young Americans are obese. On the flip side, many kids—especially girls—feel a constant need to limit calories, leading to serious eating disorders.

God wants us to treat our bodies well, not out of vanity but so we can use them and our gifts to serve him.  Read on to discover ways to help your teenagers be good stewards of their bodies.

1. Establish and stick to a routine bedtime for kids, even if they insist they’re too old for limits.

2. On weekends, don’t vary the sleep-wake routine by more than two hours.

3. Challenge kids to reduce how often they use cell phones and electronic media at night.

4. Talk more often about the value of sleep and remind kids of the consequences of sleep deprivation (the same way you remind them of the consequences of drug abuse or smoking).

5. Adjust your family’s schedule so kids can get to bed closer to a normal bedtime. For example, try to eat dinner earlier.

6. At home, use lower, softer lighting in the evenings and maximize the amount of light in the morning hours.

7. Curb caffeinated drinks—they screw up sleep even if kids consume them early in the day.

8. Encourage more exercise, especially if teenagers aren’t participating in sports.

Stats:

• More than half of male teenagers and more than two-thirds of female teenagers say they regularly skip breakfast. (American Dietetic Association)

• Forty percent of the calories that American children and teenagers consume are “empty,” and experts say parents often set poor food-choice examples.(NHANES)

• Of teenagers who say they’re unhappy and tense, 73% say they don’t get enough sleep at night. (National Sleep Foundation)

• At least once a week, 28% of teenagers fall asleep during class, and 22% fall asleep doing homework. (National Sleep Foundation)

Questions you can ask your student:

1. How well do you think you treat your body? What, if anything, does how you treat your body say

about your feelings toward God?

2. How often do you feel tired, and how does that affect your performance in different areas?

3. What would you have to change to get more sleep

4. How healthy is your typical diet? What obstacles stand in the way of you getting proper nutrition,

and how can you overcome them?