How often do you find your teenager staying up past their bedtime doing homework, playing video games, or browsing social media, only to have to pull them out of bed the next morning? Then on Saturday they sleep for what feels like the entire day. This may feel like the norm, but how big of a deal is it really?
Teen sleep deprivation, a health threat
Teens need about 9 hours of sleep each night to develop and maintain full cognitive and physical abilities. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), 91% of all teens fail to get that amount of sleep on a consistent basis. Teens fall behind in school, are more prone to make poor decisions, and see their health decline due to lack of sleep. Unfortunately, 71% of parents are unaware their teens are sleep-deprived.
In a 2010 study, 50% of teens reported being excessively sleepy, meaning they were likely to fall asleep during everyday activities like reading and watching TV.
Teens’ lives are busier than ever between school, homework, activities, and friends. Add the prevalence of digital and social media in their lives, and suddenly their day extends well into the night. When activities and smartphone use run into the wee hours of the night, teen sleep deprivation becomes an issue.
William Dement, founder of the Stanford Sleep Disorders Clinic, said teen sleep deprivation has long-lasting ramifications,
“I think high school is the real danger spot in terms of teen sleep deprivation. It’s a huge problem. What it means is that nobody performs at the level they could perform.”
Teens’ environments and biology work against each other, making sleep a challenge.
Using smartphones and other electronic devices near bedtime contributes to teen sleep deprivation.
Teens unknowingly disrupt their sleep patterns by staring at their smartphones immediately before they attempt sleeping.
Teens often work, play sports, volunteer, and have homework all in the same day. When teens procrastinate or schedule too many activities, sleep is often the first thing to go.
Humans are biologically programmed to adapt to lightness and darkness of their environment. This is called the circadian rhythm, and it’s why we sleep when it’s dark outside. When children hit their teenage years, their circadian rhythm begins to shift. And when you include a busy lifestyle and electronic use at night, their bodies do not make melatonin until well after the sun goes down, resulting in less sleep time.
Dr. Mary Carskadon explained the immense power of our biological clocks:
“Every day we teach our internal circadian timing system what time it is — is it day or night? — and if that message is substantially different every day, then the clock isn’t able to set things appropriately in motion,” she said. “In the last few years, we have learned there is a master clock in the brain, but there are other clocks in other organs, like liver or kidneys or lungs, so the master clock is the coxswain…So if the coxswain is changing the pace, all the crew become disorganized and don’t function well.”
Drastically different bedtimes and wake times on school nights versus the weekend also disrupt teen sleep patterns.
Parents can look for signs of sleep deprivation in their teen. Inquire about their sleep habits if your teen:
When teens are deprived of sleep, their body releases higher levels of the hormone ghrelin, telling them they need food. The body also releases lower levels of the hormone leptin, which would normally say they do not need food.
Sleep deprived teens tend to make poor dietary choices. They may eat at odd times and grab whatever is convenient, which is often high in fat, sugar, and carbs.
Sleep loss is tied to depression and suicidal thoughts among teens. Sleep deprivation creates anxiety and make teens moody, aggressive, and more emotional.
Teens lacking sleep are more likely to be outpaced academically by those who get enough sleep. In a study from Tel Aviv University researchers found that a 6th grader with one less hour of sleep than normal each night, performed the same as a well-rested 4th grader.
At the high school level:
Teens with lower grades had less consistent bed times as well. They went to bed 2.3 hours later on the weekends than on school nights, while teens with A or B grades went to bed only 1.8 hours later on the weekends.
Parents are unaware of teen sleep habits
A teen may go to bed early enough to get 9 hours of sleep, yet wake up periodically to check their phone or experience interrupted sleep.
Teens need more sleep than adults. Their sleep needs are not much different than those of a 9-12 year old.
Set Bedtime Guidelines
Parent enforced bedtimes are incredibly effective at influencing teens sleep habits. Set bedtimes around 10 p.m. on school nights and only 2 hours later on the weekends. Setting established times effectively maintain your teen’s circadian rhythm.
According to the Sleep Foundation, children of all ages got more sleep when parents set their bedtimes and enforced sleep rules. On average teens got:
Create a Peaceful Environment
Set Limits on Diet and Exercise
With an array of short- and long-term health threats, teen sleep deprivation is a serious concern. The vast majority of teens fail to reach the recommended 9 hours of sleep, failing to provide their bodies time to re-energize. But all is not lost. If parents raise awareness of the issue and help their teens change unhealthy habits that keep them sleep-deprived.