A TikTok about sleeping late spawned a necessary conversation for teens
In the July 26 TikTok, Seigelstein shared that she grew up in a household where sleeping late wasn't judged.
'If I sleep until noon, I'll text my mom and she'll be like, 'sounds like you really needed it,'' Seigelstein said. But not everyone could relate. The video's comment section filled with discourse from viewers who reflected on how the households they grew up in talked about rest.
'I know for a fact that there's families out there that would be like, 'Get…. up and work. Or if, like, you slept until 10am on a Saturday, if you were at home, it'd be like, a big problem,' Seigelstein continued in the video.
Jess P. Shatkin, professor of child and adolescent psychiatry and pediatrics at NYU, says the conversation resonated for good reason – sleep is one of the most important indicators of health, and sleep habits built in youth can translate into adulthood.
'We've established a profound link between sleep and mental health,' Shatkin says. 'It runs the gamut between anxiety, depression, memory, attention, irritability, emotional stability, all of those factors are impacted by the quality and to some degree, the amount of sleep that people get.'
In case you missed: Most of us struggle to get a good night's sleep. Here's what experts suggest.
How sleep is tied to young people's mental health
Shatkin says it's normal if your teen catches up on sleep on Saturdays and Sundays, as they might be making up for missed sleep during the school week.
'Maybe you want to set a limit at 10 a.m. or 11 a.m. on Sundays,' Shatkin says. 'Don't let them sleep through the afternoon, because they may have trouble falling asleep Sunday night.'
Inadequate sleep in kids is tied to behavior and learning problems, hypertension, diabetes and obesity, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Despite its importance, more than 77% of high school students don't get sufficient sleep on average school nights, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Shatkin says the old adage to work hard and catch up later or 'sleep when you're dead' catches up eventually – people may be carrying as much as three weeks of sleep debt, which can impact memory, attention span and emotional stability.
'You can cheat sleep for a while, but you really do function at a suboptimal level,' Shatkin says. 'You're more irritable, you're much more anxious.'
Dr. Warren Ng, who serves as the community health director of the Center for Youth Mental Health at NewYork-Presbyterian, says sleep is also a diagnostic criteria for many mental health conditions. Conditions like depression or anxiety might present themselves in undersleeping (insomnia), or oversleeping (hypersomnia).
'Since 50% of all mental health conditions start before the age of 14, it is not unusual for sleep disturbances to be the first sign of a mental health disorder emerging,' Ng says.
Children aged 6 through 12 should sleep nine to 12 hours, while teens 13 to 18 should aim for eight to 10 hours of sleep, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
What is sleep hygiene? Tips and changes you can make to get better quality sleep.
How parents can create a 'sleep supportive' household
Those from both sides of the family spectrum chimed in on Seigelstein's TikTok's comment section.
'My dad always says if i sleep late my body needed it,' said a commenter from a sleep-supportive family.' 'Non sleep supportive family. Napping still makes me anxious and I live alone,' one person commented. ''You're lazy'' is usually what was implied directly or indirectly,' said another.
Ng and Shatkin say parents can help their kids build healthy sleep habits by maintaining a consistent sleep schedule and limiting daytime naps. They should also limit kids' access to electronics and caffeine in the evenings, as they can impact the brain's melatonin levels. Being active for 45 minutes a day and eating a healthy diet can also help young people sleep well at night.
'Do family activities that promote sleep, [like] reading on the couch together,' Shatkin says. 'Homework time around the common table, where mom and dad aren't watching TV or on their phones either, but they're actually reading things.'
Rachel Hale's role covering Youth Mental Health at USA TODAY is supported by a partnership with Pivotal and Journalism Funding Partners. Funders do not provide editorial input. Reach her at rhale@usatoday.com and @rachelleighhale on X.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: A TikTok about sleeping late went viral. Here's why.
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