
Sleep is incredibly important for teenagers, who need more sleep than children or adults. Research shows that teenagers need between eight and 10 hours of sleep every night, but many adolescents only get about 6.5 to 7.5 hours of sleep, which can lead to chronic sleep deprivation. This can have a significant impact on a teenager's mental health, increasing their risk of depression, anxiety and low self-esteem. It can also affect their academic performance and motivation.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Depression interferes with sleep | Lack of energy to engage in life |
| Sleep is important for emotional regulation | A well-rested mind is better able to cope with life stressors in a healthy way |
| Inadequate sleep in high school | More vulnerable to depression in early 20s |
| Poor sleep activates the body's stress response system | |
| Teenagers need 9 to 9.5 hours of sleep per night | Supports their developing brain and physical growth spurts |
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What You'll Learn
- Depression interferes with sleep, and not enough sleep leaves someone feeling like they don't have the energy to engage in life
- Interventions designed to improve sleep during the high-school years may prevent depression among young people in their early 20s
- Poor sleep appears to heighten the risk of depression by activating the body's stress response system
- Additional sleep supports their developing brain, as well as physical growth spurts
- A well-rested mind is better able to cope with life stressors in a healthy way

Depression interferes with sleep, and not enough sleep leaves someone feeling like they don't have the energy to engage in life
Depression and poor sleep are reinforcing. Depression interferes with sleep, and not getting enough sleep can leave someone feeling like they don't have the energy to engage in life. This lack of energy is a symptom of depression, and so the cycle continues.
Research has shown that most teenagers need about 8.5 hours of sleep to function at their best. However, the rise in sleep-deprived teenagers is a long-term trend. This is partly due to the increased use of screens and the marketing of caffeine drinks to adolescents. Poor sleep can heighten the risk of depression by activating the body's stress response system.
Additionally, sleeping all day can be a symptom of depression, or it can be a trigger for depression, especially if a teen is already vulnerable. A well-rested mind is better able to cope with life stressors in a healthy way. Interventions designed to improve sleep during the high-school years may prevent depression among young people in their early 20s, when an individual's risk of depression is highest.
Teens need more sleep than they did at age 10 because they are going through a second developmental stage of cognitive maturation. This additional sleep supports their developing brain and physical growth spurts. It also helps protect them from serious consequences like depression.
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Interventions designed to improve sleep during the high-school years may prevent depression among young people in their early 20s
Depression and poor sleep are reinforcing. Depression interferes with sleep, and not enough sleep leaves someone feeling like they don't have the energy to engage in life, which is a symptom of depression.
Students in 10th and 11th grade who consistently reported inadequate sleep were more vulnerable to depression several years later. Interventions designed to improve sleep during the high-school years may prevent depression among young people in their early 20s, when an individual’s risk of depression is highest.
Sleep is important for emotional regulation. A well-rested mind is better able to cope with life stressors in a healthy way. Poor sleep appears to heighten the risk of depression by activating the body’s stress response system.
Teens need 9 to 9½ hours of sleep per night. This is an hour or so more than they needed at age 10. Teenagers are going through a second developmental stage of cognitive maturation. Additional sleep supports their developing brain, as well as physical growth spurts. It also helps protect them from serious consequences like depression or drug use.
Sleep education interventions have been shown to benefit high school students. One study found that students' average sleep hours per night and weekend bedtime improved after a lecture and sleep journal intervention.
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Poor sleep appears to heighten the risk of depression by activating the body's stress response system
Depression interferes with sleep, and not getting enough sleep leaves someone feeling like they don't have the energy to engage in life, which is a symptom of depression. This creates a reinforcing cycle.
Most teenagers need about 8.5 hours of sleep to function at their best. According to Johns Hopkins pediatrician Michael Crocetti, teens need 9 to 9.5 hours of sleep per night. This is because teenagers are going through a second developmental stage of cognitive maturation, and additional sleep supports their developing brain and physical growth spurts.
Sleep is also important for emotional regulation. A well-rested mind is better able to cope with life stressors in a healthy way.
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Additional sleep supports their developing brain, as well as physical growth spurts
Why depressed teenagers need more sleep
Depression and poor sleep are mutually reinforcing. Depression interferes with sleep, and not getting enough sleep leaves someone feeling like they don't have the energy to engage in life, which is a symptom of depression.
Most teenagers need about 8.5 hours of sleep to function at their best. However, according to Johns Hopkins paediatrician Michael Crocetti, teens need 9 to 9.5 hours of sleep per night. This is because "teenagers are going through a second developmental stage of cognitive maturation".
Sleep is important for emotional regulation. A well-rested mind is better able to cope with life stressors in a healthy way. Interventions designed to improve sleep during the high-school years may prevent depression among young people in their early 20s, when an individual’s risk of depression is highest.
One way that poor sleep appears to heighten the risk of depression is by activating the body’s stress response system.
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A well-rested mind is better able to cope with life stressors in a healthy way
Sleep is critical to our lives and mental health. Research has shown that students in 10th and 11th grade who consistently reported inadequate sleep were more vulnerable to depression several years later. Interventions designed to improve sleep during the high-school years may prevent depression among young people in their early 20s, when an individual’s risk of depression is highest.
Most teenagers need about 8.5 hours of sleep to function at their best. This is because teenagers are going through a second developmental stage of cognitive maturation, and additional sleep supports their developing brain, as well as physical growth spurts. It also helps protect them from serious consequences like depression or drug use.
To improve sleep, it is recommended that parents model good sleep habits, such as adhering to a regular sleep schedule, cutting back on evening caffeine, and exercising regularly.
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Frequently asked questions
Sleep and depression are reinforcing. Depression interferes with sleep, and not getting enough sleep leaves someone feeling like they don't have the energy to engage in life, which is a symptom of depression.
Scientific research shows that teenagers need between 8 and 10 hours of sleep every night. This is more sleep than they needed before they were teenagers, and more than they will need when they are adults.
Regularly not getting enough sleep can lead to chronic sleep deprivation, which can have dramatic effects on a teenager's life. This includes impacting their mental wellbeing, increasing their risk of depression, anxiety and low self-esteem, and affecting their academic performance at school.
Poor sleep heightens the risk of depression by activating the body's stress response system. It also affects your mood, with teens who don't get enough sleep more likely to get depression.
Being tired affects your memory, concentration and motivation.









































