Does Your Teen Get Enough Shut-Eye?

Author: Shannon Miller

Talk to Your Teens About Getting Enough Shut-Eye!

Teenagers should get at least 9 hours of sleep per night – more than adults and children – which makes sense because teens typically have more social activities than adults and more responsibilities than children. The problem is that teens actually only average about 6.5 hours per night.  When puberty hits, a teen’s internal clock changes and they want to stay up late and sleep in late; often times the former happens and the latter doesn’t.

Talk to your teen about some of the benefits of a good night’s sleep:

  • Drowsy teens can easily get into an accident while behind the wheel.  Driving is already a big responsibility for a teenager; being awake and alert is a must!
  • Tired teens are likely to have slower reaction times, which is some food-for-thought for any teen that participates in sports.
  • Being well-rested is likely to have a positive affect on a teen’s performance in school.  So, if your teen wants to make honor roll, tell them to honor their zzzzz’s and get some rest!
  • One thing that is very important to teens is their physical appearance.  If your teen wants to avoid having raccoon eyes in homeroom, or maintain a healthy weight, encourage them to get more sleep!

Source: “Awake at the Wheel”, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, 31 Jan 2011.

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