{"id":1863,"date":"2021-08-02T23:53:29","date_gmt":"2021-08-02T23:53:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bedguard.com.au\/?p=1863"},"modified":"2021-08-02T23:53:29","modified_gmt":"2021-08-02T23:53:29","slug":"teenagers-and-sleep-what-you-need-to-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bedguard.com.au\/backup\/teenagers-and-sleep-what-you-need-to-know\/","title":{"rendered":"Teenagers and sleep – what you need to know"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you have a teen, you might have noticed that their sleep patterns are much different to what they were when they were younger. Find out what you need to know about teenagers and sleep.<\/p>\n

\"Teenagers<\/p>\n

How much sleep do teenagers need?<\/h2>\n

Experts recommend that teenagers get between 8 \u2013 10 hours each night, which is more than the recommended 7-9 hours<\/a> for adults. Unfortunately, a recent study<\/a> on the sleep patterns of Australian children and adolescents found that 25% of 12-15 year-olds and 50% of 16-17 year-olds don\u2019t get the recommended minimum for healthy growth, learning and development.<\/p>\n

Why do teenagers need sleep?<\/h2>\n

Teenagers require extra sleep because their bodies and minds are growing quickly. Puberty is a time of great growth and change that requires more energy. They are also learning academically at school, learning social skills, and undergoing all the emotional changes that adolescence brings.<\/p>\n

How does teens’ sleep differ from adults?<\/h2>\n

It\u2019s very common for teenagers to stay up later at night and get up later the next day. In fact, it\u2019s quite common for parents to be dragging their teens out of bed in the morning! One reason for this is that they secrete melatonin<\/a> \u2014 an important hormone required for sleep \u2014 later in the day than they did in earlier childhood. This in turn affects their circadian rhythm<\/a> and their sleep\/wake cycle. However, their lifestyle which includes studying, working, and socialising can also make it hard for them to carve out enough time for sleep.<\/p>\n

What happens if teens don\u2019t get enough sleep<\/h2>\n

Your teenager may not think that sleep is important. However, teens who don\u2019t get enough sleep tend to:<\/p>\n