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The Star
19-05-2025
- Health
- The Star
Most teens don't get enough sleep, so a school in the US is teaching them how to
The topic of a new course at Mansfield Senior High School is one that teenagers across the country are having trouble with: How to get to sleep. One ninth grader in the class says his method is to scroll through TikTok until he nods off. Another teen says she often falls asleep while on a late-night group chat with friends. Not everyone takes part in class discussions on a Friday; some students are slumped over their desks napping. 'It might sound odd to say that kids in high school have to learn the skills to sleep,' says Mansfield health teacher Tony Davis, who has incorporated a newly released sleep curriculum into a state-required high school health class. 'But you'd be shocked how many just don't know how to sleep.' Adolescents burning the midnight oil is nothing new; teens are biologically programmed to stay up later as their circadian rhythms shift with puberty. But studies show teenagers are more sleep deprived than ever, and experts believe it could be playing a role in the youth mental health crisis and other problems plaguing schools, including behavioural and attendance issues. 'Walk into any high school in America and you will see kids asleep. Whether it's on a desk, outside on the ground or on a bench, or on a couch the school has allotted for naps – because they are exhausted,' says Denise Pope, a senior lecturer at Stanford Graduate School of Education. Pope has surveyed high school students for more than a decade and leads parent sessions for schools around California on the importance of teen sleep. 'Sleep is directly connected with mental health. There is not going to be anyone who argues with that.' Adolescents need between eight and 10 hours of sleep each night for their developing brains and bodies. But nearly 80% of teens get less than that, according to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which has tracked a steady decline in teen sleep since 2007. Today, most teens average six hours of sleep. Research increasingly shows how tightly sleep is linked to mood, mental health and self-harm. Depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts and behaviour go up as sleep goes down. Multiple studies also show links between insufficient sleep and sports injuries and athletic performance, teen driving accidents, and risky sexual behaviour and substance use, due in part to impaired judgement when the brain is sleepy. Mansfield Senior High School senior Talitha Cameron, 18, listens during her health class on sleep. Photo: PHIL LONG/AP 'Sleep intervention' For years, sleep experts have sounded an alarm about an adolescent sleep crisis and as a result, some school districts have shifted to later start times. California and Florida have passed laws that require high schools to start no earlier than 8.30am. But simply telling a teenager to get to bed earlier doesn't always work, as any parent can attest: They need to be convinced. That's why Mansfield City Schools is staging what it calls 'a sleep intervention.' The district's high school is piloting the new curriculum, 'Sleep to be a better you,' hoping to improve academic success and reduce chronic absences, when a student misses more than 10% of the school year. The rate of students missing that much class has decreased from 44% in 2021 but is still high at 32%, says Kari Cawrse, the district's attendance coordinator. Surveys of parents and students highlighted widespread problems with sleep, and an intractable cycle of kids going to bed late, oversleeping, missing the school bus and staying home. The students in Davis' classroom shared insights into why it's hard to get a good night's sleep. An in-class survey of the 90 students across Davis' five classes found over 60% use their phone as an alarm clock. Over 50% go to sleep while looking at their phones. Experts have urged parents for years to get phones out of the bedroom at night, but national surveys show most teens keep their mobile phones within reach – and many fall asleep holding their devices. During the six-part course, students are asked to keep daily sleep logs for six weeks and rate their mood and energy levels. Freshman Nathan Baker assumed he knew how to sleep, but realises he had it all wrong. Bedtime meant settling into bed with his phone, watching videos on YouTube or Snapchat Spotlight and often staying up past midnight. On a good night, he got five hours of sleep. He'd feel so drained by midday that he'd get home and sleep for hours, not realising it was disrupting his nighttime sleep. 'Bad habits definitely start around middle school, with all the stress and drama,' Baker says. He has taken the tips he learned in sleep class and been amazed at the results. He now has a sleep routine that starts around 7pm or 8pm: He puts away his phone for the night and avoids evening snacks, which can disrupt the body's circadian rhythm. He tries for a regular bedtime of 10pm, making sure to close his curtains and turn off the TV. He likes listening to music to fall asleep but has switched from his previous playlist of rousing hip hop to calmer R&B or jazz, on a stereo instead of his phone. 'I feel a lot better. I'm coming to school with a smile on my face,' says Baker, who is now averaging seven hours' sleep each night. 'Life is so much more simple.' There are scientific reasons for that. Studies with MRI scans show the brain is under stress when sleep-deprived and functions differently. There is less activity in the prefrontal cortex, which regulates emotions, decision making, focus and impulse control and more activity in the emotional centre of the brain, the amygdala, which processes fear, anger and anxiety. Parents and teens themselves often aren't aware of the signs of sleep deprivation, and attribute it to typical teen behaviour: Being irritable, grumpy, emotionally fragile, unmotivated, impulsive or generally negative. Think of toddlers who throw temper tantrums when they miss their naps. 'Teenagers have meltdowns, too, because they're tired. But they do it in more age-appropriate ways,' says Kyla Wahlstrom, an adolescent sleep expert at the University of Minnesota, who has studied the benefits of delayed school start times on teen sleep for decades. Wahlstrom developed the free sleep curriculum being used by Mansfield and several Minnesota schools. Ignoring the coversation Social media has been blamed for fuelling the teen mental health crisis, but many experts say the national conversation has ignored the critical role of sleep. 'The evidence linking sleep and mental health is a lot tighter, more causal, than the evidence for social media and mental health,' says Andrew Fuligni, a professor of psychiatry at the University of California, Los Angeles, and co-director at UCLA's Center for the Developing Adolescent. Nearly 70% of Davis' Mansfield students said they regularly feel sleepy or exhausted during the school day. But technology is hardly the only reason. Today's students are overscheduled, overworked and stressed out, especially as they get closer to senior year and college applications. Chase Cole, a senior at Mansfield who is taking three advanced placement and honours classes, is striving for an athletic scholarship to play soccer in college. He plays on three different soccer leagues and typically has practice until 7pm, when he gets home and needs a nap. Cole wakes up for dinner, then dives into homework for at least three hours. He allows for five-minute phone breaks between assignments and winds down before bed with video games or TV until about 1am. 'I definitely need to get more sleep at night,' says Cole, 17. 'But it's hard with all my honours classes and college stuff going on. It's exhausting.' There aren't enough hours in the day to sleep, says sophomore Amelia Raphael, 15. A self-described overachiever, Raphael is taking physics, honours chemistry, algebra and trigonometry and is enrolled in online college classes. Her goal is to finish her associate degree by the time she graduates high school. 'I don't want to have to pay for college. It's a lot of money,' says Raphael, who plays three sports and is in student council and other clubs. She knows she's overscheduled. 'But if you don't do that, you're kind of setting yourself up for failure. There is a lot of pressure on doing everything,' said Raphael, who gets to bed between midnight and 2am. 'I am giving up sleep for that.' – AP
South China Morning Post
19-04-2025
- Health
- South China Morning Post
How to get your kids to sleep earlier and better, and the signs of sleep deprivation
Navigating bedtime with a teenager is, in many homes, a nightly battle with a constant refrain: 'Get off your phone and go to bed!' Advertisement Research shows that today's teenagers are more sleep-deprived than ever before. Adolescents need between eight and 10 hours of sleep, according to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. But nearly 80 per cent of American teenagers are not getting that, and experts say it is affecting important areas like mental health and school attendance. Bedtime routines are not just for toddlers. Teenagers need them too, says Denise Pope, an expert on child development and a senior lecturer at Stanford University's Graduate School of Education, in the US state of California. Experts in adolescent sleep say a few small changes to how parents and teens approach sleep can make a dramatic difference. Here is their advice. The best sleep environment is a cool, dark, quiet room without electronic devices. Photo: Shutterstock 1. A tech-free bedtime routine for teens The first step to setting up a better bedtime routine is dealing with technology.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Some schools are teaching teens how to sleep amid growing mental health crisis
The Brief Schools in Ohio and Minnesota are now teaching teens how to sleep as part of health class Research shows sleep is closely tied to teen mental health, behavior and academic success Most teens sleep less than 6 hours, far below the 8–10 hours recommended MANSFIELD, Ohio - Some school districts are introducing an unexpected topic to their high school curriculum: how to sleep. In Mansfield, Ohio, and several Minnesota schools, educators are piloting sleep education programs aimed at helping teens get more rest—and, they hope, improve behavior, attendance, and mental health outcomes in the process. The initiative, reported by the Associated Press, is part of a growing response to what experts have called an adolescent sleep crisis. The backstory At Mansfield Senior High School, health teacher Tony Davis has incorporated a new sleep curriculum into a required health class, according to reporting by the Associated Press. The six-part course, called "Sleep to Be a Better You," was designed to help students understand the importance of sleep and build better nighttime habits. "Sleep training" has long been associated with babies—but educators and health researchers are increasingly focused on teenagers, whose circadian rhythms shift during puberty, causing natural sleep delays. The CDC reports that nearly 80% of teens get less than the recommended 8–10 hours of sleep per night. As the AP notes, the Mansfield program was launched in response to a high rate of absenteeism—still at 32% in the district, despite a drop from 44% in 2021—and parent surveys that pointed to widespread sleep struggles. Why you should care Experts cited by the AP emphasize that sleep is closely linked to teen mental health, emotional regulation, and academic performance. Denise Pope, a senior lecturer at Stanford, told the Associated Press that teen exhaustion is visible in classrooms nationwide: "Walk into any high school in America and you will see kids asleep. Whether it's on a desk, outside on the ground or on a bench … because they are exhausted." Research referenced in the AP's reporting points to reduced activity in the brain's prefrontal cortex when sleep-deprived, paired with increased amygdala activity—the part of the brain that processes fear, anxiety, and anger. The result: more impulsive behavior, lower focus, and greater vulnerability to depression or self-harm. What's next The Mansfield course, developed by a University of Minnesota researcher, encourages students to track sleep and mood, keep bedtime routines, and reduce late-night phone use. One freshman, Nathan Baker, told the Associated Press that the class changed his habits—shifting him away from screens before bed and toward calming music. "Life is so much more simple," Baker said, after improving his sleep from five hours to seven hours a night. The AP also reported on sophomore Amelia Raphael and senior Chase Cole—two high-achieving Mansfield students juggling academics, sports, and extracurriculars—who said they regularly sacrifice sleep due to packed schedules and the pressure to succeed. Even with growing awareness, many teens still rely on phones as alarm clocks and fall asleep with devices in hand—habits health officials have warned against for years. What they're saying Tony Davis told the Associated Press he was surprised by how many of his students didn't know basic sleep strategies. "It might sound odd to say that kids in high school have to learn the skills to sleep," he said, "but you'd be shocked how many just don't know how to sleep." UCLA psychiatry professor Andrew Fuligni told the AP that sleep deserves more attention in conversations about teen mental health. "The evidence linking sleep and mental health is a lot tighter, more causal, than the evidence for social media and mental health," Fuligni said. Kyla Wahlstrom, a University of Minnesota expert who helped develop the curriculum, added that teenagers often show sleep deprivation in subtle but familiar ways. "Teenagers have meltdowns, too, because they're tired," she told the AP. "But they do it in more age-appropriate ways." The Source This article is based on reporting from the Associated Press, which interviewed students and educators at Mansfield Senior High School in Ohio and cited research from health and sleep experts.
Euronews
17-04-2025
- Health
- Euronews
Top tips to convince your sleep-deprived teenager to ditch tech and go to bed earlier
ADVERTISEMENT Navigating bedtime with a teenager is, in many homes, a nightly battle with a constant refrain: "Get off your phone! Go to bed!" But bedtime routines aren't just for toddlers. Teenagers need them too, says Denise Pope, an expert on child development and a senior lecturer at the US-based Stanford University. Experts in adolescent sleep say a few small changes to how parents and teens approach sleep can make a dramatic difference. Here are some top tips to get your teenager to adopt healthier sleep habit. Related How much sleep do we really need? Here's what the experts say Try a tech-free bedtime routine for teens The first step to setting up a better bedtime routine is dealing with technology. Separate children from their devices at night. Phones, tablets, streaming services, and video games aren't the only things keeping kids up at night, but experts agree they are a major factor in delaying sleep. "Get the temptation out of the bedroom," Pope says. If the phone is within arm's reach, it's hard to ignore when notifications buzz. Many teens say they fall asleep while scrolling, or reach for their phone if they have trouble sleeping, and end up scrolling for hours. Be prepared for excuses. "My phone is my alarm clock" is something a lot of parents hear. The solution: Buy an alarm clock. Related In Denmark, schools are trialling later start times to give teens a sleep boost Put screens away an hour before bedtime. Exposure to light prevents the release of melatonin, the hormone released by the brain that makes us feel drowsy. Then, replace screens with a new wind-down routine. Try to get to bed around the same time each night and start winding down at least 30 minutes before. During that time, silence notifications, take a warm shower, or read a book. Avoid caffeine and energy drinks in the afternoon and evening. The best sleep environment is a cool, dark, quiet room. In noisy households, earplugs and a sleep mask can help. If a bedroom is too warm, it can affect getting to sleep and staying asleep, says adolescent sleep expert Kyla Wahlstrom. ADVERTISEMENT Related Body's internal clock could play a role in teens' late eating habits, researchers say Know the signs of sleep deprivation in teens Some of the telltale evidence of sleep deprivation: being irritable, grumpy, short-tempered, emotionally fragile, unmotivated, impulsive, and more likely to see the world and oneself through a negative lens. A sleep-deprived teen also may fall asleep during the daytime, in the car or in class. "We often blame adolescents for being lazy or unruly or having bad behaviour,** much of which could be attributed to the fact that they are chronically sleep-deprived," says Wendy Troxel, a clinical psychologist who has conducted numerous studies on adolescent sleep. How do you tell the difference between a sleepy teen and a cranky-but-well-rested one? One key sign is what sleep expert Joanna Fong-Isariyawongse calls 'zombie mornings'. ADVERTISEMENT We often blame adolescents for being lazy or unruly or having bad behaviour, much of which could be attributed to the fact that they are chronically sleep-deprived. Wendy Troxel Clinical psychologist "If your teen hits snooze five times, takes forever to get out of bed, asks you for a big cup of coffee first thing in the morning, most likely they are running on empty," says Fong-Isariyawongse, a neurologist at the University of Pittsburgh in the US. Extreme mood swings are another sign. Sleep is critical for emotional processing, which is why sleep-deprived teens are more likely to be irritable, anxious, or depressed. A sleep-deprived teen may also fall behind in school, because sleep is essential for learning and memory consolidation. Teens who sleep less are more likely to make bad choices when it comes to drug or alcohol use, drowsy or reckless driving, and risky sexual behaviour. If your teen sleeps until lunchtime on weekends, try to limit it to a couple hours. Otherwise, it throws off the body's internal clock and makes it harder to wake up when the new school week begins. ADVERTISEMENT Related Weighted blankets may improve sleep quality and reduce medication use among adults, study finds Why should teenagers care? Show them the science Explain to your teens why sleep matters, and that it's not just nagging parents who say so. Many studies show that depression, anxiety, and the risk of suicidal thinking go up as sleep goes down. Beyond mood, sleep deprivation affects physical and athletic ability. Teens who are sleep-deprived sustain more physical injuries, because they take more risks, their judgment is impaired, and reflexes and reaction times are not as fast. Teens who get more sleep perform better in sports, and when they do get injuries, they have a quicker recovery time. ADVERTISEMENT Related Teens' problematic smartphone use linked to anxiety, depression, and insomnia More teenage car accidents come from drowsy driving than driving under the influence of alcohol, studies show. Teens who say they get less than eight hours of sleep a night are more likely to text while driving, not wear a seat belt, drink and drive – or get in a car with a driver who has been drinking. As any parent knows, telling their teenager to go to sleep does not always work. You need to get their buy-in. "Kids need to be educated about sleep, and their brain health and emotional health, and how it all ties together," says Wahlstrom. ADVERTISEMENT
