health
U.S. teens are getting their least amount of sleep in decades—lowering their chances to 'lead fulfilling lives as adults,' health experts say
Teens are getting less sleep each year, which can impact their mood, physical well-being and school performance, experts say. Here are solutions they recommend.
TL;DR
- Teen sleep duration has steadily decreased from 1991 to 2023.
- By 2023, only 22.3% of older teenagers reported sleeping at least seven hours nightly.
- Insufficient sleep can lead to poorer school performance, emotional difficulties, lower quality of life, and increased rates of depression and obesity.
- Factors contributing to sleep loss include puberty, early school start times, stress, and screen time.
- Sleep inequities are widening among racial and socioeconomic groups.
- Recommended solutions include consistent sleep schedules, ending screen time 30 minutes before bed, using alarm clocks instead of phones, creating a conducive sleep environment, and establishing calming pre-sleep routines.
- Encouraging teens to explore the science of sleep themselves can be more effective than direct instruction.