Why Are Teens So Sleepy?

AASM Sleep Education

15 Sept 202103:03

Summary

TLDRTeens' natural body clocks differ from children's, causing them to prefer staying up late and sleeping in. This disrupts early school schedules, leading to insufficient sleep despite recommendations of 8-10 hours per night for optimal health. A movement for later school start times aims to help. Tips for better sleep include daily exercise, avoiding caffeine, limiting naps, consistent meal times, dimming lights, reducing screen time before bed, relaxing routines, consistent bedtimes, morning light exposure, and maintaining sleep schedules even on weekends.

Takeaways

🕒 **Teens' Body Clock**: Teenagers have a different body clock compared to children, leading to a preference for staying up late and sleeping in.
🌙 **Night Owls**: The teen brain delays sleepiness signals, causing a tendency to be night owls.
🛌 **Late Morning Alertness**: Teen brains also delay alertness signals, making it harder to wake up early.
🏫 **School Schedule Conflict**: The natural sleep pattern of teens often clashes with early school start times.
📚 **Sleep Recommendations**: The American Academy of Sleep Medicine advises 8 to 10 hours of sleep per night for teens.
😴 **Insufficient Sleep**: CDC data reveals that less than one in four high school students get enough sleep on school nights.
⏰ **Later School Start Times**: A movement advocates for schools to start no earlier than 8:30 AM to accommodate teen sleep needs.
💪 **Importance of Sleep**: Sleep is crucial for teen health, mood, school performance, and safety.
🏋️‍♂️ **Sleep Tips for Teens**: Physical activity, caffeine avoidance, limited naps, and consistent meal times are among the tips for better sleep.
📱 **Screen Time Before Bed**: It's advised to put away electronic devices at least 30 minutes before bedtime.
🌅 **Morning Light**: Exposure to bright light in the morning helps signal the brain to be alert.

Q & A

Why do teenagers tend to stay up late and sleep in?
-Teenagers have a different circadian rhythm compared to children. Their brain sends sleepiness signals later at night and alerting signals later in the morning, leading to a preference for staying up late and sleeping in.
What is the recommended amount of sleep for teens according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine?
-The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends that teens should sleep 8 to 10 hours per night to promote optimal health.
How many high school students actually get sufficient sleep on an average school night according to CDC data?
-Fewer than one in four high school students get sufficient sleep on an average school night.
Why is there a growing movement to start schools no earlier than 8:30 AM?
-Starting school later gives teens a better opportunity to get sufficient sleep, which is essential for their health, well-being, and mood.
How does sleep affect a teen's performance at school?
-Adequate sleep helps teens perform better at school by enhancing alertness and focus.
What role does sleep play in preventing motor vehicle accidents caused by drowsy driving?
-Healthy sleep helps prevent motor vehicle accidents by keeping teens alert and reducing the risk of drowsy driving.
What are some tips for teens to improve their sleep?
-Tips include getting daily physical activity, avoiding caffeine after school, limiting naps, having regular meal times, dimming indoor lights at night, avoiding electronic devices before bedtime, relaxing before sleep, setting a consistent bedtime, and getting bright light exposure in the morning.
Why is it advised to avoid caffeine after school for better sleep?
-Caffeine is a stimulant that can interfere with the ability to fall asleep, so avoiding it after school can help improve sleep quality.
How long should after-school naps be for optimal sleep?
-After-school naps should be limited to 30 minutes or less to avoid disrupting nighttime sleep.
What is the significance of having meals around the same time every day for sleep?
-Having regular meal times can help regulate the body's internal clock, making it easier to fall asleep and wake up at consistent times.
Why is it important to put away electronic devices before bedtime?
-Electronic devices emit blue light that can suppress melatonin production, making it harder to fall asleep. Putting them away before bedtime can improve sleep quality.
How does getting bright light in the morning help with sleep regulation?
-Bright light in the morning signals the brain that it's time to be alert, helping to regulate the body's circadian rhythm and improve wakefulness during the day.

Outlines

00:00

🌙 Understanding Teen Sleep Patterns

This paragraph explains the natural sleep tendencies of teenagers, which are influenced by their circadian rhythm. Unlike children, teens experience a delay in sleepiness signals, making them 'night owls'. Their body also delays the alerting signals needed to wake up, leading to a preference for sleeping in. This biological rhythm often clashes with early school schedules, causing sleep deprivation. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine suggests that teens need 8 to 10 hours of sleep per night for optimal health, but CDC data reveals that less than a quarter of high school students achieve this. A movement to start schools later in the morning is growing to help teens get more sleep, which is crucial for their health, mood, academic performance, and safety.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Circadian rhythm

Circadian rhythm is the body's internal clock that regulates the sleep-wake cycle. It is a biological process that follows a natural 24-hour cycle and is influenced by light and darkness. In the video, it's mentioned that a teen's circadian rhythm is wired differently, causing them to feel sleepy later at night compared to children, which is a key factor in why teens tend to be night owls.

💡Sleep promoting signals

Sleep promoting signals refer to the body's natural cues that indicate it's time to sleep. These signals are produced by the brain and include the release of melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate sleep. The video explains that in teens, these signals are often delayed, leading to a preference for staying up late.

💡Alerting signals

Alerting signals are the body's cues that it's time to wake up and be active. These are also regulated by the brain and can include the release of hormones that counteract the effects of melatonin. The script mentions that teens' alerting signals are delayed, which is why they often prefer to sleep in later.

💡Night owl

A night owl is a term used to describe someone who prefers to stay up late into the night and sleep late into the morning. The video uses this term to describe teens whose circadian rhythm causes them to feel more awake at night, thus aligning with a late-to-bed schedule.

💡American Academy of Sleep Medicine

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine is a professional organization that sets standards and provides guidance on sleep health. The video cites their recommendation that teens should sleep 8 to 10 hours per night for optimal health, emphasizing the importance of adequate sleep for this age group.

💡CDC data

CDC data refers to information collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a U.S. government agency that tracks public health data. The video mentions CDC data to highlight that fewer than one in four high school students get enough sleep, illustrating the prevalence of sleep deprivation among teens.

💡Later school start times

Later school start times refer to the practice of delaying the beginning of the school day to better align with the natural sleep patterns of teens. The video discusses a growing movement to start middle and high schools no earlier than 8:30 AM to give teens a better opportunity to get sufficient sleep.

💡Physical activity

Physical activity is any bodily movement that works your muscles and requires energy. The video suggests that getting some physical activity every day can help improve sleep for teens, likely by promoting better sleep patterns through increased energy expenditure.

💡Caffeine

Caffeine is a stimulant found in coffee, tea, sodas, and some energy drinks that can interfere with sleep. The video advises teens to avoid caffeine after school because it can delay the onset of sleep, which is particularly problematic for teens whose sleep signals are already delayed.

💡Naps

Naps are short periods of sleep during the day. The video advises limiting after-school naps to 30 minutes or less and avoiding them after 4 pm to prevent interference with nighttime sleep, which is crucial for teens' health and well-being.

💡Meal times

Meal times refer to the regular schedule of eating meals throughout the day. The video suggests having meals around the same time every day and avoiding eating too close to bedtime to help regulate the body's internal clock and improve sleep quality.

💡Smartphone

A smartphone is a mobile phone with advanced functions and internet capabilities. The video recommends putting away smartphones and other electronic devices at least 30 minutes before bedtime because the blue light emitted by screens can suppress melatonin production, making it harder to fall asleep.

💡Bedtime

Bedtime is the time at which one goes to bed to sleep. The video emphasizes setting a consistent bedtime that allows for at least eight hours of sleep, which is crucial for teens to maintain optimal health and cognitive function.

💡Bright light

Bright light exposure in the morning helps signal to the brain that it's time to be alert and awake. The video suggests getting bright light every morning upon waking to help regulate the circadian rhythm and enhance alertness throughout the day.

Highlights

Teens prefer to stay up late and sleep in due to their natural body clock.

Teen's circadian rhythm is different from children, causing them to feel sleepy later at night.

Teens' alerting signals for waking up are delayed, leading to a preference for sleeping in.

Adults may misinterpret the late sleep schedule of teens as laziness or lack of discipline.

Teens' body clock often conflicts with early school schedules, leading to insufficient sleep.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends 8 to 10 hours of sleep for teens.

CDC data shows that fewer than 25% of high school students get enough sleep on school nights.

There is a movement to start schools no earlier than 8:30 AM for better sleep opportunities.

Sleep is crucial for teen health, well-being, mood, and performance in school and sports.

Lack of sleep can increase the risk of motor vehicle accidents due to drowsy driving.

Physical activity daily can help improve sleep for teens.

Avoiding caffeine after school can improve sleep quality.

Limiting after-school naps to 30 minutes or less can help regulate sleep.

Having meals at consistent times and avoiding late-night eating can aid sleep.

Dim indoor lights at night and avoiding electronic devices before bedtime can improve sleep.

Relaxing and winding down before bed can help with sleep.

Setting a consistent bedtime that allows at least eight hours of sleep is recommended.

Exposure to bright light in the morning helps signal the brain to be alert.

Maintaining a consistent sleep schedule on weekends is important for sleep health.

Sleep should be a top health priority for teens.