Sue Scheff: How much sleep do adolescents need?
Recently, since joining Twitter, I have seeing more and more parenting articles from Examiner.com - this particular article was of interest to me since I remember my teens and their sleeping patterns. As school opens shortly, I thought it was a good time to share this with readers.
Parenting teens 101: How much sleep do adolescents need?
By Beth Vogt
The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) recommends that teenagers get 9 1/4 hours sleep each night.
A 2006 Sleep in America Poll by the NSF reported that 45% of all adolescents get an insufficient amount of sleep on school nights—less than eight hours.
Consequences of lack of sleep included:
• Feeling too tired or sleepy
• Being cranky or irritable
• Falling asleep in school
• Feeling depressed
• Drinking caffeinated beverages
In an online interview Mary Carskadon, Ph.D., director of Chronobiology and Sleep Research at Bradley Hospital, said teens are building up huge sleep debts night after night.
“ … we have kids out there who struggle to stay awake while driving, who could do better at sports if they could react more quickly, who are feeling blue and having trouble getting along with the adults in their environment, and also who are struggling to learn in the classroom,” Dr. Carskadon said.
How can parents help their teens improve their sleep habits? The Children’s Hospital Web site recommends several steps that include:
1. Set a regular bedtime – Try to stick to your schedule during both the week and the weekend.
2. Exercise – Workout preferably five or six hours before bedtime, since sleep experts believe doing so may help you fall asleep.
3. Avoid drinking caffeinated beverages after 4 p.m. – Realize nicotine and alcohol are also stimulants, so smoking and drinking may disrupt sleep.
4. Skip all-nighters – Losing sleep the night before a big test may cause you to perform poorly.
5. Create the right sleeping environment – Studies show that people sleep best in a dark room that is slightly cool.
Tags: Parenting, parenting advice, Parenting Articles, Parenting Resources, Parenting Teens, Sue Scheff, Teen Issues
![[Valid RSS]](valid-rss-rogers.png "Validate my RSS feed")