Sleep Habits among Teens

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People often tend to believe that teenagers do not sleep simply because they do not want to. Is this really the case, or is there something preventing them from being able to sleep? For the past three years, I have had trouble sleeping. Regardless of what time I go to bed, it is literally impossible for me to fall asleep before midnight, and often much later. Once I finally do fall asleep, I cannot stay asleep for more than an hour at a time. This has taken a tremendous toll on me. It makes it hard for me to get to school on time and stay awake during class, causing my grades to drop. The field of sleeping disorders is a broad one, encompassing many types of problems. One group that is often not given enough attention, because of the stereotypes associated with them, is teenagers.

Many people suffer from sleeping disorders, such as insomnia, sleep apnea, and narcolepsy as well as other disorders that can cause sleep deprivation. However, sleeping disorders often are either misdiagnosed or unnoticed. Some people believe they have a sleeping disorder when, in reality, they simply just have bad sleeping habits. Drinking caffeine before bed or not being active during the day can affect the amount of sleep a person gets. There are also very many people who do not realize they might have a sleeping disorder. Millions of Americans alone are diagnosed each year, but a large number of Americans who have a sleeping disorder are never diagnosed. Symptoms of sleeping disorders include, but are not limited to, loss of energy, waking up tired, and frequent yawning or napping throughout the day.

Sleep hygiene is the group of behaviors linked to a good night’s sleep. A person with bad sleep hygiene can tend to mistake this for a...

... middle of paper ...

...ning. Although I still am not getting the amount of sleep I need, I am falling asleep faster and waking up less frequently. There will always be many different opinions on teen sleep deprivation. However, one thing is for sure. The stereotypes against them are only stereotypes. They may appear to be at fault, but there may be something else keeping them awake until the early hours of the morning. Could Teen Night Owl Syndrome be at fault?

Works Cited

Renesselaer Polytech Institute. “Lack of Morning Light Keeping Teenagers Up At Night.” www.ScienceDaily.com. 16 February 2010. Web. 19 February 2010.

Lekach, Sasha. “Lack Of Sleep Connected With Higher Teen Marijuana Use” The California Aggie. 6 April 2010. 24. Print.

Owens, Judith. Take Charge Of Your Child’s Sleep. New York, NY. Marlowe & Company, 2005. Print

Ross, Kristen. Personal Interview. 14 May 2010.

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