“MAKING teens start school in the morning is ‘cruel’, brain doctor claims.” So declared a British newspaper headline in 2007. Over a decade on there is growing acceptance that the structure of the academic day needs to take account of adolescent sleep patterns. The latest school to adopt a later start time is the UCL Academy in London; others are considering following suit.
“MAKING teens start school in the morning is ‘cruel’, brain doctor claims.” So declared a British newspaper headline in 2007. Over a decade on there is growing acceptance that the structure of the academic day needs to take account of adolescent sleep patterns. The latest school to adopt a later start time is the UCL Academy in London; others are considering following suit.
So what are the facts about teenage slumber, and how should society adjust to these needs?
Now as this may be a rather controversial topic (heaven forbid your teenagers find this article), the biology of human sleep timing, like that of other mammals, changes as we age. This has been shown in many studies. As puberty begins, bedtimes and waking times get later. This trend continues until around 19 years in women and 21 in men. Then it reverses.
At 55 we wake at about the time we woke prior to puberty. On average this is two hours earlier than adolescents. This means that for a teenager, a 7 am alarm call is the equivalent of a 5 am start for a person in their 50s.
Precisely why this happens is unclear but the shifts correlate with hormonal changes at puberty and the decline in those hormones as we age.
However, biology is only part of the problem. Additional factors include a more relaxed attitude to bedtimes by parents, a general disregard for the importance of sleep, and access to TVs, DVDs, PCs, gaming devices, cell phones and so on, all of which promote alertness and eat into time available for sleep. We have actually discussed this in previous articles here on The Mattress King website.
The amount of sleep teenagers get seems to vary between countries, geographic region and social class, but all studies show they are going to bed later and not getting as much sleep as they need because of early school starts.
It is said that teenagers need about 9 hours a night to maintain full alertness and academic performance. Unsurprisingly, teachers reported students dozing in class. Yup, guilty as charged!
Evidence that sleep is important is overwhelming.
Research has demonstrated its critical role in memory consolidation and our ability to generate innovative solutions to complex problems. Sleep disruption increases the level of the stress hormone cortisol. Impulsive behaviours, lack of empathy, sense of humour and mood are similarly affected.
All in all, a tired teenager is a grumpy, moody, insensitive, angry and stressed one. Sounds familiar??
Perhaps less obvious, sleep loss is associated with metabolic changes. Research has shown that blood-glucose regulation was greatly impaired in young men who slept only 4 hours on six consecutive nights, with their insulin levels comparable to the early stages of diabetes.
Similar studies have shown higher levels of the hormone Ghrelin, which promotes hunger, and lower levels of Leptin, which creates a sense of feeling full. The suggestion is that long-term sleep deprivation might be an important factor in predisposing people to conditions such as diabetes, obesity and hypertension.
Adolescents are increasingly using stimulants to compensate for sleep loss, and caffeinated and/or sugary drinks are the usual choice. Caffeine effects can last as long as 5 to 9 hours. So a caffeinated drink late in the day delays sleep at night. Tiredness also increases the likelihood of taking up smoking.
Collectively, a day of caffeine and nicotine consumption, the tendency for delayed sleep and the increased alertness promoted by computer or cellphone use generates what we call a “perfect storm” for delayed sleep in teenagers.
In the UK, Monkseaton High School instituted a 10 am start in 2009 and saw an increase in academic performance. However, a later start by itself is not enough. Society in general and teenagers in particular must start to take sleep seriously. Sleep is not a luxury or an indulgence but a fundamental biological need, enhancing creativity, productivity, mood and the ability to interact with others.
So what can teenagers do about it?
If you need an alarm clock or parent, to get you out of bed; if you take a long time to wake up; if you feel sleepy and irritable during the day; if your behaviour is overly impulsive, it means you are probably not getting enough sleep. It’s time to take control.
Ensure your bedroom is a place that promotes sleep – dark and not too warm – don’t text, use a computer or watch TV for at least half an hour before trying to sleep and avoid bright lights. Try not to nap during the day, and seek out natural light in the morning to adjust the body clock and sleep patterns to an earlier time. Avoid caffeinated drinks after lunch.