"The study of the human brain and its disease remains one of the greatest scientific and philosophical challenges ever undertaken" - Floyd E. Boom, 2007
Why do teenagers find it difficult to go to sleep at a "decent" hour? And why do they find it so painful to wake up early? Sleep patterns change dramatically in the teenage years, and these changes are normal! A developmental delay in the sleep/wake cycle pushes back both bedtimes and wake times. While younger children prefer to go to sleep early and wake up early, teenagers tend to prefer to go to sleep late and wake up late.
Because school schedules are not based on the sleep/wake patterns of teenagers, waking up late on schooldays is not an option! As a result, teenagers often stay up much later than younger children do, but are still forced to wake up early on school days. A lot of teenagers try to catch up on lost sleep by sleeping in on weekends, which typically annoys their parents. It is important to remember that teenagers do not sleep late on weekends because they are lazy or antisocial, but because of their inborn cycles.
Most teenagers need at least 8.5 hours of sleep every night, and most don't get it. Although teenagers typically get by on less sleep during adolescence, there is certainly no evidence that they need less sleep. Sleep deprivation in adolescents has many consequences, the most direct of which is sleepiness during low-stimulation activity (like paying attention in class or driving).
