Topic - How Sleep Shifts In Adolescence. By 16, teenagers sleep less than 7 hours, a sharp decline from the 10 hours they slept in childhood.
25% of high schoolers sleep less than 6 hours nightly. To offset this debt, they sleep late on weekends which leads to poor quality sleep.
We’ve learned teens need a lot more sleep to perform competently than do little kids or adults. They need 9 hours every night compared to 8 that adults need.
During adolescence, they experience a shift where they fall asleep later than young kids. This isn’t due to activities, but to biology.
Their brain’s sensitivity to light changes during this time. Sleepy teens are irritable, hostile, dangerous on the road and have academic and behavior problems including drinking.
Learn how sleep patterns change in adolescence, avoid over scheduling your teen and understand their sleep needs.
Help them maintain their health during this stressful time.
