[A Review] of medical research on adolescent sleep lists the following key findings:
As teenagers move through the teen years, they need increasing amounts of sleep.
Teens need nine hours of sleep each night to avoid behaviors associated with sleep deprivation.
Teen sleep deprivation is associated with information processing and memory deficits, increased irritability, anxiety, and depression, and decreased creativity and ability to handle complex tasks.
20% of all high school students fall asleep in school.
Over half of students report being most alert after 3:00 in the afternoon.
Additional weekend sleep does not offset the effects of sleep deprivation.
The adolescent’s circadian rhythm means he or she will feel awake later into the evening (through midnight) and unable to fall asleep. (Even if they go to bed at 9:30, they are not likely to fall asleep ‘til after 11:00.)
While this is a new field of study, researchers are recommending parents consider the following tips to make sure their adolescents get enough sleep:
Help them establish a regular, relaxing routine to unwind from the activities of the day. This signals to the body that it is time to prepare for sleep.
Discourage them from reading books or watching television programs at bedtime that are violent, frightening, or controversial. This content can act as a stimulant that delays the onset of sleep.
Discourage caffeine consumption in the afternoon and evening.
Encourage regular exercise.
Discourage naps.
Originally from http://npin.org/pnews/1998/pnew898/inte898d.html but appears not to be available anymore.
Latest update: Saturday August 09, 2008 12:21 -0700