Teens do not get enough sleep. They stay awake late into the night, and then it is so hard for them to get up for school the next morning. They can sleep until noon if allowed, and many tend to do so on the weekend. Interestingly, this is normal behavior for adolescents. During puberty, there is a shift in teens’ circadian rhythm (their sleep-wake cycle). They don’t feel tired as early as they did in their pre-teen days. They stay alert many hours later. However, they need 8-10 hours of sleep each night, which results in a later waking time if allowed to sleep until their need is met. Most middle and high schools start quite early, and this can result in sleep disturbances for teens. Ironically, younger children awaken much earlier, alert and raring to go. It would be beneficial if schools would flip their schedules, but so far this hasn’t happened.
Teens’ tremendous use of technology (including technologies’ emission of blue light which disturbs circadian rhythm), as well as their increased academic and social pressures all add to this problem, and there has been a surge in teen depression, risk-taking behavior, and emotional irregularity. Their mental and physical health suffers.
As parents, we need to communicate with our teens and explain how they are punishing their bodies with insufficient sleep, and less physical, outdoor activity due to increased sitting activity when they are hunched over their electronic devices. We need to set limits on their use of technology/screens. It is also important that we limit our own use of devices. They are addictive for all age groups. Try to set time for outdoor family activities, taking walks, sharing stories and ideas. Teens need their parents’ help in setting sleep schedules and electronic turn-off times. It is helpful if you do this for yourselves as well. Your family’s well-being is at stake.
All Blogs are written by Professionals in the fields of Nutrition, Human Development and Diabetes.