Teen and Tween Health

Tween and Teen Health, Teen sleep: Why is your teen so tired? By Mayo Clinic Staff. Retrieved July 26, 2010 from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/teens-health/CCOOO19

Many tween and teen parents worry why their son or daughter is so tired. The simple answer is that they do not get enough sleep, but the problem is not that simple. Everyone has an internal clock that influences body temperature, sleep cycles, appetite, and hormonal changes. The processes that follow the cycle of this 24-hour clock are called circadian rhythms. Before adolescence, these rhythms direct most children to become tired around 8 or 9 o’clock. With the onset of puberty, these cycles change. Now, the teen won’t feel sleepy until 11 o’clock or later.

With many obligations such as part-time jobs, homework, and early school start times, many teens don’t get the nine hours of sleep they require. This can lead to some troubling consequences such as irritability, difficulty with concentration, mood swings, and behavioral problems. Also, overtired teen drivers with little driving experience getting behind the wheel can lead to serious accidents.

What I have written above leads to the argument as to why middle and high schools don’t start their classes later? For example, if school started at 9 o’clock, more tweens and teens would get their required nine hours of sleep.