If you’re struggling to get your teenager out of bed in the morning, you’ll be happy to know there’s a very good reason.
Not only do teenagers need more sleep than adults, they also tend to want to sleep in too. This is down to big shifts in their body clock: they’re biologically wired to fall asleep later and need the extra sleep come morning.
Key takeaways: At a glance
- Teenagers typically need around 8-10 hours sleep a night, whereas most adults need 7-9 hours.
- Sleep is key for a teenager’s brain and body to grow.
- Good quality sleep helps teens with memory consolidation, physical growth, healthy appetite, brain development, and emotional regulation.
- Teens naturally tend to be night owls and wake later in the morning.
- Avoiding screens and caffeine late at night, and creating a calming wind down routine and bedroom environment, help teens sleep better.
How much sleep do teenagers need?
Teenagers – anyone aged between 13-18 years old – need around 8-10 hours of sleep a night, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
Many teens don’t get enough sleep due to biological changes that shift their natural sleep timing later
Lisa Artis, Deputy CEO of The Sleep Charity
As professor of sleep science Jason Ellis explains, teens need more sleep than adults because puberty leads to significant changes and development in the brain and body that sleep is required for.
Of course, this will vary from one teenager to the next — and yours may need more or less sleep, depending on factors such as health conditions.
Lisa Artis, sleep expert and Deputy CEO of The Sleep Charity, explains that teenagers also need this amount of sleep to support their “rapid physical, emotional and cognitive development.
“This is more sleep than adults need, yet many teenagers don’t get enough sleep due to biological changes that shift their natural sleep timing later.”
How does this differ from how much sleep other people need?
As you grow, the less sleep you need, with babies needing around 14-17 hours of sleep a day. By the time we become adults, seven to nine hours of sleep a night is generally typically sufficient.
According to Neurologist, Dr. Lynette Gogol: “Sleep needs change across the lifespan, but adolescence is a particularly vulnerable period.
Teens feel alert later at night because of shifts in their body clock, making early wake times difficult
Dr. Lynette Gogol
“Children ages six to twelve typically need nine to twelve hours of sleep per night, while most adults function best with about seven to nine hours,” she continues.
Teenagers need a couple more hours of sleep compared to adults because they’re still growing.
They’ll also tend to be night owls and late risers. As Gogol explains: “Teens feel alert later at night, because of puberty and shifts in their body clock, making early wake times especially difficult.”
5 key reasons why teens need more sleep than adults
- 1. To consolidate memory
- 2. To help physical growth
- 3. To support a healthy appetite
- 4. To boost brain development
- 5. To help with emotional regulation
1. To consolidate memory
Whether they’re studying for exams or learning a new skill, getting the right amount of sleep can be a key way for teenagers to retain information.
This is because “during sleep, the brain strengthens learning pathways and processes new information, which supports concentration, problem-solving and academic performance. Without enough sleep, attention, motivation and memory can suffer,” explains Artis.
2. To help physical growth
Teenagers naturally produce the growth hormone while asleep, allowing their bones and muscles to grow, especially around puberty, otherwise known as a the pubertal growth spurt.
“Adolescence is a period of rapid physical development, and many of the hormones that support growth are regulated during sleep,” agrees Dr. Gogol.
However, she goes on to add that chronic sleep restriction can “disrupt growth-supporting hormonal signaling, muscle repair and bone development.”
Artis adds that sleep is important for teenagers as it allows them to have a “healthy appetite and a working metabolism.” For most of us, sleep is a great stabiliser when it comes to eating well.
The hunger hormone, ghrelin, is lower when we sleep well, while the leptin, the hormone which tells us when we’re full, is stabilised.
However, research shows that we get a bad night’s sleep, these two hormones can fall out of balance — leptin falls and ghrelin increases.
Studies indicate that in teenagers who don’t get enough sleep, the disruption of these hormones can lead to increased risk of obesity
4. To help brain development
The teenage brain is still maturing, explains Artis, “particularly in areas involved in decision-making, emotional regulation and impulse control.”
So, how does good quality sleep help with this?
“During sleep, especially deep sleep, the brain refines neural circuits through synaptic pruning, strengthening useful connections and removing inefficient ones,” adds Dr. Gogol, and goes on to say that inadequate sleep interferes with this process and is “linked to higher risks of anxiety, depression, mood instability, and risk-taking behaviors.”
5. Emotional reactivity and stress sensitivity
No parent wants a grumpy teenager to deal with — but lack of sleep in teenagers can also cause deeper mental health problems and risky behaviour, explains Dr. Gogol.
“Short sleep duration is associated with higher rates of depression and anxiety in adolescents. Insufficient sleep impairs reaction time and judgment, increasing the risk of accidents, including motor vehicle crashes.”
Good sleep tips for teenagers
The first obvious sleep hack for teenagers is making sure they’re not spending every moment glued to a screen. Dr. Gogol explains that “too much evening screen use produces blue light, which then delays melatonin release and pushes sleep later.”
Your teenager probably isn’t knocking back three cups of coffee a day, but watch out for hidden caffeine in chocolate or other foods, as she adds that “caffeine later in the day can interfere with sleep onset and sleep quality.”
The neurologist also notes that creating a “predictable, low stimulation wind-down routine before bed helps the nervous system transition into sleep”. If they’re open to it, get them to try meditation or yoga. Reading can also help to calm the nervous system.
Artis adds that ensuring your teenagers are sleeping in a comfortable environment can help them get better quality sleep: “Keeping bedrooms dark, quiet and cool can all support better sleep.”
Lastly, invest in the best mattress for their sleep needs and growing body – a medium-firm hybrid mattress is a great start, as these are responsive, breathable, and gently contouring.
