Most Teens Need a Rest

A lot of things come to mind when you think about the habits of teenagers. It’s likely sleep isn’t one of them, but experts say our teens could really use a good night’s rest.

“There is an epidemic of sleep deprivation in the teenage population. And I can summarize this in one sentence: teenagers have childhood sleep needs but they have adult responsibilities,” says Dr. Jose Colon, who is a pediatric sleep specialist with Lee Memorial Health System.
It’s important teens get their Z’s because it impacts their judgment during the day. If they are chronically sleep deprived, it can effect their overall brain development. Problem is, most kids are too immature to give sleep a second’s thought.

“The front part of the brain is the last to mature and that fully matures around teenage to young adult years. Well what’s in the front part of the brain? Your executive function. The things that control, impulse control, is what develops last. So that’s why it, that’s why teenagers may take into risk-taking behavior,” says Dr. Colon.
The magic number of hours is nine. Experts say a little make-up time on the weekend is okay, so let them sleep in. The bigger battle is to get teens to unplug at night.
“Teenagers do not get on electronic devices because it bores them. They get on it because it engages them and that’s not allowing the brain to slow down,” says Dr. Colon.
They may not thank you now, but getting your child to call it a night, should make them happier and healthier.

Lee Memorial Health System in Fort Myers, FL is the largest network of medical care facilities in Southwest Florida and is highly respected for its expertise, innovation and quality of care. For nearly a century, we’ve been providing our community with everything from primary care treatment to highly specialized care services and robotic assisted surgeries.