The Teen Sleep Crisis: Navigating Late Nights & Early Mornings
Insufficient sleep in the teenage years has been tied with a wide range of adverse effects on mental and physical health, cognitive and academic performance, and risk-taking behaviors such as substance abuse and unsafe sexual activity.
LISTEN NOW: Season 2 Episode 10 – Why Later School Start Times are a Must with Dr. Indira Gurubhagavatula MD, MPH
How much sleep do teens need?
Between 8-10 hours (~9-9.5h on average)
Why do teens want to stay up so late?
Teenagers often experience a delayed sleep phase due to a combination of biological and environmental factors. Biologically, during adolescence (puberty), there is a shift in the circadian rhythm, the body's internal clock that regulates sleep-wake cycles. This shift is primarily due to changes in the secretion patterns of the hormone melatonin, which is crucial for regulating sleep. Melatonin release in teens typically occurs later in the evening than in children and adults, leading to a tendency for later sleep onset.
Teenagers often experience a reduction in sleep pressure, the feeling of sleepiness that accumulates over the course of the day the longer you are awake.
This phenomenon is often exacerbated by environmental factors such as increased use of electronic devices before bedtime, which emit blue light that can further delay melatonin production and disrupt the circadian rhythm.
Additionally, societal demands, such as early school start times, do not align with the natural sleep-wake cycle of teenagers, contributing to sleep deprivation. Approximately 60% of middle schoolers and ~70% of teens in the United States are sleep-deprived.
The combination of these biological changes and environmental pressures can significantly alter sleep patterns during the teenage years, often characterized by late nights and difficulty waking up early.
How does insufficient sleep affect teens?
Insufficient sleep in the teenage years has been tied with a wide range of adverse effects on mental and physical health, cognitive and academic performance, and risk-taking behaviors such as substance abuse and unsafe sexual activity.
Sleep deprivation increases the risk of obesity, high blood pressure (hypertension), diabetes, depression, and suicidal ideation.
How do you improve teen sleep quality and quantity?
First and foremost, ADVOCATE FOR LATER SCHOOL START TIMES! Teen sleep deprivation is a systemic issue. It starts with changes we as adults must make to protect our children's sleep.
Second, lead by example as much as possible. Make sleep a priority in the home!
Good sleep hygiene:
The bedroom is dark and quiet
The bed is for sleep only
Get regular exercise
Minimize caffeine
Avoid large meals near bedtime
Physical exercise
Bedtime routine: hot bath or shower, exercise further away from bedtime
