Teen Sleep Myths Busted BY REBECCA FAST Understanding shifting sleep cycles and how to support healthy habits during adolescence
P arents of young children often wonder if their kids will ever sleep past sunrise. Then, as children grow older and enter the adolescent and teenage years, their sleep habits change — sometimes drastically. While too little sleep might have been a worry in the past, too much sleep is now the concern, with parents asking if their teens are ever going to wake before noon. What’s really happening with your teen’s sleep cycle? To understand these changes in sleep patterns, Dr. Chee Yoon Bauer, a sleep medicine pediatrician at OU Health in Oklahoma City, explains that the body’s circadian rhythm can shift during early childhood and into adolescence. “For children younger than 12 years old, their natural circadian rhythm gives them the tendency to want to go to sleep earlier in the evening and wake up earlier in the morning — think ‘crack of dawn,’” says Bauer. “However, teenagers seem to develop a delayed circadian rhythm, which is the tendency to want to go to
sleep late and to wake up late. This can look like a preferred bedtime of 1 a.m. and a preferred wake-up time of 11 a.m.” Bauer explains that this shift in sleep patterns can be particularly challenging for teenagers, as many high schools have an earlier start time than elementary schools. How much is too much sleep for a teenager? The general sleep recommendation for teens, ages 13 to 18, is eight to 10 hours of sleep per night with a maximum of 11 hours. Bauer notes that if a teenager consistently requires more than 11 hours of sleep per night, there’s a possibility they may be considered pathologically sleepy, indicating a potential medical concern. “The first thing I would think about when a teenager is sleepy during the day, despite getting eight to 11 hours of sleep at night, would be obstructive sleep apnea,” says Bauer. “This can show up as snoring, pauses in breathing and gasping in sleep. Other signs and symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea include bedwetting, morning headaches and inattention.” Why teen sleep deprivation matters According to a Youth Risk Behavior Survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 79 percent of Oklahoma high school students do not get enough sleep. Without consistent sleep, young people are more likely to experience sleep deprivation, which can have a significant impact on their mental, physical and emotional health. According to Bauer, “some signs and symptoms of sleep deprivation could include chronic daytime fatigue or sleepiness, headaches, irritability and/or mood issues, inattention, poor grades and other health issues, such as frequent infections or obesity.” Just like adults, teenagers who are sleep-deprived may experience more anxiety, low self-esteem and depression. It’s important for families to discuss the impact of sleep on health and seek ways to support healthy sleep patterns. How to create healthy sleep patterns To establish a healthy sleep pattern, Bauer recommends having a regular wake-up time every morning — regardless of whether you need to or not — and keeping a regular bedtime. An unhealthy sleep pattern she often sees in her clinic is a teenager who doesn’t have a set bedtime and ends up going to sleep whenever they want, often past midnight. Then, they are forced to wake up early for school, may sleep through classes, have a long nap after school and then struggle to go to sleep at a reasonable bedtime, thus beginning the cycle again. Instead, she says, along with a regular wake and sleep schedule, you should also avoid sleeping during the day, eat
Sleep tips for teens • Stop screen time 2 hours before bedtime. • Allow time for winding down. • Follow a regular bedtime routine. • Wake up at the same time every morning.
54 Healthy Families Guide
Made with FlippingBook Online newsletter maker