Teenage Sleep: All-Day Naps, Healthy Or Hazardous?

Should you let your teenager sleep all day? It's a question that plagues many parents, especially during school breaks and summer vacations. While it's normal for teens to want to sleep in, there are valid concerns about the impact of excessive sleep on their health and well-being. Teenagers go through significant physical and hormonal changes, and their sleep patterns can be influenced by various factors, including mental health, medication, and technology use. Understanding these factors and finding a balance between their sleep needs and daily responsibilities is crucial for their overall development.

Teenagers need 8-10 hours of sleep a night

During the teenage years, the body's rhythm (or internal biological clock) is reset, meaning that a person will feel more inclined to fall asleep later and wake up later. This is due to the release of a brain hormone, which is released later in teens than in children and adults. This shift typically reverses upon reaching adulthood. As such, it is harder for teens to fall asleep early.

The National Sleep Foundation recommends that teenagers get between 8 and 10 hours of sleep per night. However, studies show that most teens do not get enough sleep. At age 14, only 23% of teens are sleeping 8 or more hours each night, and this number drops to 19% by age 16. This sleep deficit can lead to poor grades, relationship problems, and drowsy driving.

So, while it is not advisable to let your teenager sleep all day, it is okay to let them sleep in, especially if they have been staying up late to meet the demands of their busy schedules. It is important to prioritize sleep, as it is essential for your teen's health and well-being. Maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, even on weekends, is crucial for establishing a healthy sleep cycle.

Hormonal changes and mental health concerns can cause excessive sleepiness

Adolescence is a period of significant hormonal changes, which can impact sleep patterns and cause excessive sleepiness. During puberty, the body's internal clock, or circadian rhythm, shifts, making teenagers feel sleepy one to two hours later than they did before puberty. This is known as "sleep phase delay". As a result, teenagers tend to go to bed later and sleep later in the morning.

However, early school start times often prevent teenagers from getting the recommended nine hours of sleep per night. This results in chronic sleep deprivation, which can have negative consequences for mental health and wellbeing. Research has found that sleep-deprived teens are more likely to exhibit signs of mood disorders, such as irritability, anxiety, and depression. Additionally, a lack of sleep can lead to poor impulse control and impaired judgment, increasing the risk of risky behaviours such as substance use, reckless driving, and unprotected sex.

Therefore, it is important for parents to prioritise their teenager's sleep and help them establish healthy sleep habits. This may include setting a regular bedtime routine, avoiding stimulants in the evening, and limiting screen time before bed.

Sleep quality is important for teens' mental and physical health

Sleep is essential for the physical and mental development of teenagers. However, teens are some of the most sleep-deprived individuals in the US, with most getting far less than the recommended amount of sleep. This chronic sleep deprivation can have dramatic effects on their lives, impacting their mental and emotional well-being, and increasing their risk of depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem.

The Importance of Sleep for Teen Mental and Emotional Health

Profound mental, physical, social, and emotional development occurs during the teenage years, and quality sleep is crucial for supporting these processes. Sleep benefits the brain by promoting attention, memory, and analytical thought. It also facilitates expansive thinking, which can spur creativity. Lack of sleep can lead to excessive drowsiness and lack of attention, negatively impacting academic performance.

Chronic sleep deprivation can also affect a teenager's emotional regulation. Research has found a clear link between sleep deprivation and teenage depression and anxiety. Studies have shown that each hour of lost sleep was associated with a 38% increase in the risk of feeling sad or hopeless and a 58% increase in suicide attempts. Lack of sleep can also lead to more extreme emotional responses to daily events, as adolescents' prefrontal cortex, which controls self-regulation, is still underdeveloped.

The Importance of Sleep for Teen Physical Health

Sleep is essential for the effective functioning of almost every system in the body. It empowers the immune system, helps regulate hormones, and enables muscle and tissue recovery. During adolescence, substantial physical development occurs, and a lack of sleep can negatively impact this process. For example, adolescents who don't get enough sleep have been found to have a troubling metabolic profile, which may increase their risk of diabetes and long-term cardiovascular problems.

The Bottom Line

Sleep quality is of utmost importance for teens' mental and physical health. Getting sufficient restorative sleep and REM sleep helps repair and protect the body and consolidates learning and memories. Prioritizing healthy sleep habits and routines can help teens get the recommended amount of sleep and improve their overall health and well-being.

Social jetlag is when a teen's chronotype is out of alignment with their daily activities

It is not uncommon for teenagers to sleep in until noon or even later. Teenagers tend to stay up late on weekends and sleep in the next day, or take frequent naps to catch up on sleep. This behaviour can lead to "social jetlag", a term coined by German researcher Till Roennenberg in 2006. Social jetlag refers to the discrepancy in a person's sleep patterns between weekdays and weekends, which can cause feelings of fatigue and jet lag. While anyone can experience social jetlag, it is particularly common in teenagers due to their biological programming as "night owls".

The circadian rhythm, or our internal body clock, plays a crucial role in regulating sleep. During puberty, adolescents experience a biological shift towards later bed and wake times. This shift is estimated to be around two hours, meaning they get tired later at night and wake up later in the morning. As a result, when teenagers are expected to adhere to early school start times, their sleep patterns become misaligned with their daily activities, leading to social jetlag.

The consequences of social jetlag can be significant. Adolescents who experience social jetlag report difficulties falling and staying asleep, increased irritability and sleepiness during the day, and lower academic performance. It can also lead to an increased risk of obesity, metabolic syndrome, and mental health issues. Additionally, social jetlag can impact family dynamics, with teens missing out on family events or chores, and setting a slothful example for younger siblings.

To mitigate social jetlag, consistency is key. Teens should maintain a regular sleep schedule, even on weekends, waking up within one or two hours of their usual weekday wake-up time. While it may be tempting to let your teen sleep in, doing so can disrupt their body clock and make it harder for them to adjust when school starts. Encouraging earlier bedtimes and creating a bedroom conducive to sleep can also help.

A consistent sleep schedule is key

To maintain a consistent sleep schedule, it is important to work with your teenager to establish a bedtime routine and a regular sleep schedule. This might include setting a specific bedtime and creating a calming bedtime routine in the 30 minutes beforehand. For example, this could involve brushing their teeth, doing a skincare routine, picking out clothes for the next day, and packing their lunch. By signalling to their brain that it is time to relax and preparing their body for sleep, your teenager will be able to establish a consistent sleep schedule more easily.

Another way to support your teenager in maintaining a consistent sleep schedule is to limit their exposure to blue light from phone or TV screens before bed. The bright lights from smartphones can disrupt their sleep-wake cycle, so it is beneficial to avoid social media and other forms of technology at bedtime. Instead, your teenager might find reading, listening to music, or using calming/meditation apps helpful in winding down for sleep.

In addition to reducing screen time before bed, encouraging your teenager to engage in exercise, yoga, and mindfulness practices can also improve their sleep quality. Working together to find activities they enjoy, such as meditation, deep breathing, gymnastics, or yoga, can help them develop a healthy sleep schedule.

It is also important to be consistent with the sleep schedule. The brain prefers a consistent sleep routine, rather than one that is erratic and unpredictable. By sticking to a regular sleep schedule, your teenager's body will be able to regulate its sleep-wake cycle more effectively.

Finally, it is beneficial to add positive reinforcement when your teenager takes steps towards a positive sleep schedule. Kind and encouraging comments can go a long way in helping them understand the importance of a consistent sleep schedule and motivating them to stick to it.

Frequently asked questions