News, Advice, and Tips for Parenting Teenagers

Two new studies have revealed that many young people aren't sleeping enough, and that certain sleep patterns are associated with depression.

The first study compared sleep patterns of high school students with the snoozing habits of their college counterparts. College students stay up later and wake up later, but both groups averaged about seven hours of sleep a night.

The most surprising finding was that academic stress was cited most popular reason students did not get enough sleep.

• More than 1,120 Midwestern students ages 17 to 24 years old took the sleep survey by researchers from Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota.
• About one in four surveyed got less than 6.5 hours of sleep a night, even though pediatricians recommend eight.
• Students who told researchers that they drank before going to sleep averaged 21 alcoholic beverages per week, compared to 12 for others in the survey.

The study appeared in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

In the second study, researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center followed 96 adolescents with no histories of psychiatric disorders for five years.

• Dr. Uma Rao and her colleagues used sleep monitors and collected saliva and urine samples to record participants cortisol levels.
  
• Students with higher cortisol levels were more likely to develop depression.
  
• Those who reached the REM stage of sleep more quickly than an average were also more likely to develop depression.

This study was in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology.

Labels: stress, depression, students, sleep_deprivation

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Research has revealed yet another benefit of childhood exercise.

A new study published in the Archives of Disease in Childhood found that children who are active in the daytime fall asleep more quickly and sleep for longer periods of time.

Researchers studied 870 children who were enrolled in the Auckland Birthweight Collaborative Study. For every hour a child was sedentary, he or she needed an extra three minutes to fall asleep.

"These findings emphasize the importance of physical activity for children not only for fitness, cardiovascular health, and weight control, but also for promoting good sleep," the researchers wrote in their report.

Labels: health, exercise, sleep_deprivation

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A new study measured the effect of caffeinated drinks and electronic multi-tasking on sleep patterns in teenagers.

Dr. Christiana Calamaro and her colleagues at Drexel College of Nursingstudied 100 middle and high school students ages 12 to 18, asking them about their intake of caffeinated drinks, use of technology, and the numbers of hours they sleep at night.

• The researchers found that teenagers who used various electronic media late into the night and drank a variety of caffeinated beverages were more likely to fall asleep at school.
• Caffeine consumption was 76 percent higher among those who fell asleep at school.
• Teenagers who got the recommended eight to 10 hours of sleep a night tended to spend fewer hours on any one of nine electronic activities such as watching television, watching DVDs and using the Internet.

The study appeared in the journal Pediatrics.

Labels: technology, sleep_deprivation, caffeine

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High school students who get good grades sleep more efficiently, according to a study from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

Dr. Jennifer Cousins and her colleagues studied 56 teenagers, ages 14 to 18 years old, who complained about their sleep habits. The researchers measured the participants' sleep and asked them about their grades.

• Students who had a high math scores spent less time in bed, had higher sleep efficiency and greater sleep quality, and took less time to fall asleep.
• High scores in English were associated with fewer nighttime awakenings.
• Students who had a hard time falling asleep, especially over weekends, usually had poorer overall academic performance.
• "The more regular and predictable their sleep is, the better they are likely to do when confronted with short-term sleep deficits," Dr. Cousins said.

A previous study from Columbia University found that teenagers who stay up past midnight are at increased risk for teen depression and thoughts of suicide.

Both studies were presented at the annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.

Labels: teenagers, depression, sleep_deprivation, schoolwork

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Adolescents who have trouble falling asleep on a regular basis are more likely to drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes, use illicit drugs, and suffer from depression.

Brandy Roane, a researcher the University of North Texas, combed through more than 8,000 interviews that had been conducted with young people ages 12 to 25 years old between 1994 and 2001. About nine percent of those who were surveyed reported having trouble falling asleep every day or almost every day.

Of this sleep-deprived group, 54 percent suffered from depression and 25 percent had suicidal thoughts, compared to 32 percent and 11 percent of those who slept normally. Ten percent of the sleep-problem group had attempted suicide. This group was also more likely to use alcohol (33 percent compared to 22 percent of normal sleepers) and to smoke marijuana (18 percent vs. 11 percent).

This study appears in the journal Sleep.

Labels: depression, sleep_deprivation, drug_use

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A study by European researchers has found that excessive cell phone use can inhibit a teen's ability to fall asleep and stay asleep. The study reviewed cell phone usage and sleep patterns of 21 healthy teens, ages 14 to 20.

"Results showed that compared with light cell phone users, teens who were heavy users had a harder time getting up in the morning... woke up more often during the night, spent more time tossing and turning before falling asleep..."

Researchers were surprised to find no difference in mental states, depression, and anxiety between heavy and light cell phone users. Still, the study's results highlight the importance of structured and reasonable cell phone usage. Source: CBS News

Learn more: The Latest Teen Obsession: Is Your Child a Cell Phone Junkie?

Labels: sleep_deprivation, cell_phones

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When high schools start their school day later students get more sleep, and that's a good thing, according to a new study from Norwalk Hospital Sleep Disorder Center in Connecticut.

Researchers followed 259 students whose starting time changed from 7:35 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. Students used the time to sleep an extra half hour in the mornings, but did not change their bedtimes, which averaged around 11 p.m.

Previous studies have shown that increased sleep is linked to better grades and motivation, less emotional disturbance, and even reductions in ADHD symptoms. However, this does not mean that lack of sleep causes those conditions.

Author Mary O'Malley presented this study at the annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.

Labels: school, sleep_deprivation

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It's a strange phrase: "junk sleep". Much like the phrase "junk food" refers to foods that have little or no nutritional value, "junk sleep" refers to sleep patterns that offer little or no actual rest. These patterns are becoming increasingly common among teenagers who never fully unplug from their technology-laden worlds.

"In a 2006 poll by the National Sleep Foundation, 97 percent of teens said they have at least one electronic item, such as a TV, computer, phone or music device in their rooms. On average, sixth-graders reported having more than two gadgets in their room, while high-school seniors said they had four. In the survey, teens with four or more devices in their bedrooms were more likely to get insufficient sleep."

When Chris and Patti Calawerts realized that technology was interfering with their daughter Stephanie's sleep, they took action. The cell phone went off at 9p.m. and both the TV and computer were removed from her room. Though she protested at first, she now says she's glad to no longer feel "dependent on technology." Read more at GreenBayPressGazette.com.

Read more on how Technology Takes its Toll on Teen Sleep.

Labels: technology, teen_culture, sleep_deprivation

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About 14% of teens have symptoms of chronic insomnia, and 46% experience at least some symptoms, according to a study from the University of Texas School of Public Health in Houston. Researchers collected data from over 4000 youths ages 11 to 17, and then followed up on them a year later.

"Our data suggest that burden of insomnia is comparable to that of other major psychiatric disorders such as depression, anxiety and substance abuse," said Dr. Robert E. Roberts, professor of behavioral sciences. He suggests that teens should have about nine hours of sleep per night, and those with insomnia should be treated by their physicians.

Learm more on how Technology Takes its Toll on Teen Sleep.

Labels: depression, mental_health, sleep_deprivation

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Cell phone use is linked to headaches, insomnia and confusion, according to a report in the British journal, The Independent.

Scientists asked 70 people to talk on their cell phones before they went to bed and found that such usage shortened the stages of deep sleep. The study also linked such sleep disturbances to depression, mood swings, ADHD symptoms and personality changes in teenagers.

"This study strongly suggests that mobile phone use is associated with specific changes in the areas of the brain responsible for activating and coordinating the stress system," according to the report.

Last week the Federal Drug Administration called for more scientific studies of the long-range effects of cell phone use on health, especially since more people are using the phones at very young ages.

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Labels: research, sleep_deprivation, cell_phones

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Is your teen moody? Does he have a temper? Does she fly off the handle? Blame sleep deprivation, say researchers at Harvard Medical School and University of California/Berkeley.

Most people believe that not getting enough sleep makes people sleepy and lethargic. However, sleep deprivation actually activates the brain's emotional centers most closely associated with psychiatric disorders such as depression.

Professor Mary Carskadon of Brown University said the new study might have implications for adolescents, who are being diagnosed with depression in increasing numbers.

"We don't know if early sleep deprivation projects out to things like major depressive disorder or bipolar illness and whether we're setting our kids up for these major problems as they grow up," she said.

The Berkeley/Harvard study appears in the October 23, 2007 issue of Current Biology.

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Labels: depression, sleep_deprivation, development

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Two studies of teenagers' sleeping habits indicate that 45% are getting less than the optimal nine hours a night, and 30% sleep less than seven hours.

One study links loss of sleep to the use of caffeinated beverages. Another links it to having computers, television and other technology in a teen's bedroom.

Researchers at the University of Alabama found that teens who drink caffeinated beverages get less sleep than those who do not. About 75% of teens drink at least one caffeinated drink a day. Professor Beverly Sedlacek said that teens use the beverages to get by on less sleep, and "getting by" is not as healthy as getting adequate sleep.

A study of 1000 British teens found that many teens fall asleep watching television, listening to music, or using the computer. This produces "junk sleep" that is not as rejuvenating as normal sleep, according to The Sleep Council of Great Britain. The Council reported that technology is "exaggerating night-owlism in teenagers," and recommended that parents enforce "turn-off" times.

A private high school, like Mount Bachelor Academy in Oregon, uses a very structured environment to make sure students get the rest they need to perform their best during the day.

Labels: health, influences, sleep_deprivation

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Staying up late and getting up early seems to be a rite of passage for teenagers. But most scientists and those in the medical community agree that adolescents actually need more sleep, not less. Ideally, teens should get eight to ten hours of sleep a night. But if they have to get up at 6:30am for school, that means they should be in bed by 9:30 or 10pm at the latest. Not likely, right?

"What can a parent do to help their teen stay rested? It seems the ideal scenario would be to allow your teen to do nothing - as if! Instead, help your teen take a look at his or her schedule and see how sleep can be fit in to cut down on incidence of sleep deprivation. Since energy levels usually dim in the afternoon, instead of coming home and plopping down on the computer for an hour to "chat" with friends, encourage your teenager to put up an away message and take a nap."

Though you may not set a strict bedtime for your teen, consider having a "room curfew" that requires your teen to be in his or her room at a certain time. Encourage quite activities (no TV, video games, or computers) after a certain time of night to help your teen begin to wind down.

Read more at TeenagersToday.com.

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Labels: teenagers, sleep_deprivation, curfews

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Staying up late or wanting to stay up later, is natural for teens. But recent studies have found that some teens are staying so late so often that they're at risk of sleep deprivation. The cause? Text messages.

"Nearly a quarter of teens in a relationship have communicated with a boyfriend or girlfriend hourly between midnight and 5 a.m. via cell phone or texting, according to a recent online survey by Teenage Research Unlimited. One in six communicated 10 or more times an hour through the night."

Because text messages are sent and received via cell phones, teenagers can do it without their parents ever knowing. Because so many teens have busy lives, late night texting is often the only way they can are able to catch up with their friends. Still, many cell phone service providers encourage parents to be aware of, and limit, the amount of time their teens spend texting. Read more online.

Labels: sleep_deprivation, cell_phones, text_messaging

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Starting the school day just one half-hour later produced such "stunning positive results" that a small boarding school decided to make the change permanent.

• The 201 students in the study not only slept later in the mornings, they started to feel so good from having extra sleep that they went to bed earlier.
• Average sleep duration increased by 45 minutes to almost 8 hours a day per student.
• By the end of the study, 54% of the students were getting eight hours of sleep a night compared to just 16% when the study began.
• Students also said they were less sleepy during the day.

The students were enrolled at St. George's boarding school in Rhode Island when Dr. Judith Owens began her study by pushing back the start of classes from 8 AM to 8:30 AM. Dr. Owens is director of the Pediatric Sleep Clinic at the Hasbro Children's Hospital in Providence, RI.

The percentage of students, who told Dr. Owens that they were "somewhat unhappy at least part of the day " fell from 66% to 45% by the end of the study. The percent of students who reported irritability, decreased from 84% to 63%. Only half as many students were tardy for first class by the end of the study, and more were eating breakfast.

The study appears in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine.
 

Labels: school, sleep_deprivation

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An abundance of research shows that most teenagers do not get enough sleep, and that teen sleep deprivation is linked to lower grades, depression, and even suicidal thoughts. However, many parents tell researchers that they have trouble getting their teenagers to go to bed, according to an article in the Washington Post.

Most parents do not know what time their teenagers go to bed, according to Dr. Judith Owens, a researcher at Brown University Alpert Medical School, and most believe their teenagers go to bed much earlier than they actually do.

"There is a real disconnect," Dr. Owens said.

Teachers also told the Post that more students are falling asleep in class more often.

"It's not just the tired thing, but they are zoning out in class," said James Fernandez, principal of Albert Einstein High School near Washington DC. "It's a big problem. If you get a substitute in the classroom, they all go to sleep -- it's looky here, a 40-minute nap."

Nature and technology are the causes of teens' sleep deprivation. Most teens cannot fall asleep at early bedtimes, and that probably has an evolutionary basis. Teens like to stay connected with their friends into the wee hours, either via cell phone or computer. A Pew Institute survey found that 80% sleep with their cell phone nearby, and many prefer to wake up to receive new text messages.
 

Labels: suicide, technology, depressoin, sleep_deprivation

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