Teen Sleep Habits

Teen sleep habits is an interesting phenomena, the teen rarely gets an adequate amount of sleep. Studies show that a teen needs in excess of 9 hours per night. Many teens will run on much less and then catch up with sleeping in late on weekends or during class in school. Many teens operate in a sleep deprived mode, functioning with the assistance of energy drinks. The energy drink assists a teen in staying up late and getting school. Both the energy drink and the lack of sleep are unhealthy for a teen. The components in an energy drink, including caffeine and a lot of sugar are not found on the food pyramid. A teen would be much better off to get the necessary sleep and leave he energy drinks alone.

Lack of Sleep Problems

Lack of sleep problems or sleep deprivation is a dangerous problem. If a teen is running low on sleep, they are more likely to be involved in an automobile accident. Sleep deprivation driving is similar to driving under the influence of alcohol. A person’s reaction time is slower, and their decision making process in diminished when they have not had adequate sleep. Parents can only do so much to see that their teens receive the sleep they need. A parent can insist that a teen is in the house every night at 10:00 p.m., but the teen may stay up texting or chatting online until much later. The parent may even be unaware that the teen is still up. Another common problem is the teen that sneaks out after parents are asleep.

Teen Sleep Requirements

A teen will need in excess of 9 hours of sleep per night. The teen’s body and mind are still growing and developing. This growth and the energy it uses, can put a major stress on the teen. Proper nutrient and sleep are essential to the teen remaining healthy. A teen that runs on too little sleep and poor nutrients, will have a tendency to be sick more often than the healthy teen. There may be times when a teen’s busy schedule will require them to forgo some sleep. When a teen is heavily involved in after school activities, sports, or drama, they may be required to travel to other schools. Sometimes this travel keeps them out past their usual bed time. Parents and teachers should be sensitive to a teen that is burning the candle at both ends.

Sleeping with TV or Radio on

Some teen’s love to sleep with the TV or radio on, this may be an indicator that something else is wrong. A teen staying up late watching TV may be suffering from depression or anxiety rather than sleep problems. If a teen is not sleeping and seems to be upset, parents should be proactive and seek professional advice. Sleep deprivation and depression are problematic when they are combined.