How many hours of sleep should adolescent get?

Answer 1

Typically, adolescents sleep more than younger children. Parents may notice that their once early-risers now prefer to shuffle out of bed at the crack of noon. This is not the result of increased laziness, it is a genuine need by the developing teenage body, for more sleep. Adolescents generally should get at least 9 hours of sleep per night. Teenagers especially, are prone to problems caused by sleep deprivation, because they may be more likely to stay up, and engage in activities that disrupt normal circadian rhythms. This may be one of the contributing factors in the well documented studies that show teen drivers are at much greater risk of fatal car crashes, than adults. Sleep deprivation can result in moodiness (what teenager isn't?), depression, lethargy, poor academic performance (who hasn't seen teens fall asleep at school?) as well as increased resistance to risk-taking behaviors. Parents can help adolescents who are resistant to go to sleep at a reasonable hour, by at least insisting on a "quiet time" after a certain hour. This means no television, or Video Games. Some parents encourage this by actively taking part in the "quiet time" with a bedside chat, or helping with household activity like foulding laundry. This way, the parent helps their teen wind down at the end of the day, without being seen as an "enforcer".