Home » Health & Wellness » Canadian Health Care » Our Teens are Suffering from Sleep Deprivation

Our Teens are Suffering from Sleep Deprivation

© Mary M. Alward

The results are in. Research proves that teens who suffer from sleep deprivation risk health issues.

Dr. Adam Moscovitch, medical director of the Canadian Sleep Institute in Calgary says, "It's a huge problem." He goes on to say that sleep apnea - a disruption of breathing during sleep is becoming more prevalent in teens because fewer children are having their tonsils removed. Narcolepsy, a disorder where the body mixes up the signals for sleep and waking is causing teens to fall asleep at inappropriate times. This condition is also becoming more prevalent in teens.

According to the 1999 National Sleep Foundation poll, 60% of U.S. children under 18 years of age complain of being tired most of the time. 15% fell asleep in class during the last year.

Part time jobs, busy schedules, social life, school demands and over stimulation from late night activity such as TV, video games and the Internet fuel sleep deprivation among teens. Physical changes in the teenage body such as an increase in hormones and a shift in the internal clock also contribute to sleep deprivation in teens. The internal sleep and wake clock shifts during the teen years and teens are not ready for sleep until 11 pm or later. Trying to play catch-up on the weekend doesn't help. Once sleep has been missed, it cannot be made-up.

School days start at 9 am and teens are finding it difficult to make it to class on time. Once at school, the lack of sleep effects their concentration, decision making and critical thinking. Thus, their grades are affected and their grades fall.

Falling grades and sleeping in class are not the only pitfalls to sleep deprivation in teens. More serious consequences, such as falling asleep while driving and obesity occur. Sleep deprivation stimulates hunger hormones and creates cravings for carbohydrates. Teens sit up late eating chips and other junk food to curb these cravings and this has caused obesity to rise considerably.

Dr. Moscovitch states that teens need at least 10 hours of sleep each night to allow for hormonal changes, proper physical growth, psychological development and proper digestion.

Parents need to support teenagers sleep habits. Sleep is not a waste of time. Lack of it can cause severe depression, anxiety and stress. If your teen is sleeping long hours it's because his body demands it, not because he is lazy. Only the right amount and quality of sleep will help teens get through the day without feeling over fatigued.

The copyright of the article Our Teens are Suffering from Sleep Deprivation in Canadian Health Care is owned by Mary M. Alward. Permission to republish Our Teens are Suffering from Sleep Deprivation in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.