Sleep Disorders

Adolescent Sleep Needs

"Adolescence is the time of greatest vulnerability from the standpoint of sleep," - William Dement

Teens need more sleep as they go through adolescence. Even with more than 9 hours of sleep a night many teens struggle with drowsiness, especially early in the day. This problem has gotten worse in recent years, as teen culture pushes kids to delay bedtimes, while high school start times have been pushed earlier. Many teens report sleeping 7 hours or less on weeknights rather than the 8 or 9 hours they need to be alert during the day.

Research suggests that the sleep-wake cycle shifts during adolescence. As a result, teenagers have a natural tendency to fall asleep later and wake up later. Psychosocial and environmental conditions make it easier for adolescents to delay bedtimes. Sports, homework, jobs, socializing contribute to a busy schedule that leave little time for sleep. Modern electronics and entertainment systems keep minds occupied when they should be sleeping. Combining work and school is also a challenge for teens, often to the detriment of their sleep lives. Research shows that working more than 20 hours a week during the school year is associated insufficient sleep and exercise.

Recent academic studies have attempted to get some data on teens, but like other sleep studies they are subject to suspicion because of low sample sizes, the subjective nature of sleep quality, and standardization in reporting. It appears that 10% to 15% of adolescents have insomnia. This is actually lower than any age group in adults. There is some evidence of heritability, with mothers being the family member that most often shares insomnia. However, all researchers agree that sleep disorders are not as simple as genetic.

Many sleep experts are calling for revision of school start times. They want schools to start later in the morning and run later in the afternoon, to accomodate the delayed sleep cycles of teens.

Cross-sectional studies suggest widepread insomnia among US teens. A minority, but a substantial minority (about a quarter) of adolescents report chronic insomnia, even after kids with psychiatric disorders are not counted. Lost sleep accumulates over time; the more sleep debt an individual incurs, the greater the negative consequences. The effects of chronic sleep loss are more than just fatigue; people can’t learn as well when they have accumulated sleep debt.

Consequences of insufficient sleep in adolescents include missed school, sleepiness, tiredness and decreased motivation, and difficulties with self-control of attention, emotion and behavior.

Another big problem seen in teens is drowsy driving. Young people fall for this much more than more experienced drivers. The National Highway Safety Administration estimates that more than 1500 Americans under age 21 are killed because of car crashes due to drowsy driving every year.

Many teens try to catch up on their sleep on weekends, and to some extent this works. But irregular sleep schedules also pose problems. Delaying weekend bedtimes and rising times for several hours can disrupt the normal sleep cycle much the way jet lag can affect long-distance travelers.

Adolescents may also suffer from sleep disorders, just like people of any age range. For instance, narcolepsy typcially first appears between the ages of 10 and 20, although the symptoms are sometimes different from those in adults. Mood disorders often begin in adolescense, and sleep problems are often a problem. Insomnia can also be a warning sign for depression in later life.

Adolescents may also be more affected by caffeine and nicotine than adults so that an equal amount of these stimulant consumed could lead to more insomnia.

Related: Sleepy Teens

Persistence and Change in Symptoms of Insomnia among Adolescents