Thursday, August 5, 2010

Sue Scheff: The Zzzzzz's of teens

It seems teenagers can function on less sleep than most adults.  Is it really true?

According to KidsHealth.org 9+ hours per night for preteens (10-12 year-old) and teens (13-19 years-old) need 8.5-9.5 hours.  How does your teen measure up?

It is difficult getting your teens to get the right amount of sleep, but it is imperative you do your best to help them understand the importance of a good nights sleep.

Sleep deprivation not only can make your kids grumpier, it also impacts their school performance as it decreases their attentiveness and short-term memory.

Especially for teens, sleepiness can lead to delayed response time and inconsistent performance, making driving and playing high-impact sport potentially dangerous.

As a parent, it is your responsibility to enforce consistent bedtimes and wake-ups, your child's health and success may depend on it.

When your teen says they will catch up on sleep on the weekends, note that all that sleep on the weekend won't add energy to the rest of the week.  Why? Our bodies can't store extra sleep!

Read more.