Not a Surprise – Teens Don’t Sleep Nearly Enough

We all know that teenagers don’t normally get the proper amount of sleep.  But, a new study by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveals just how shockingly few get their recommended nine hours of slumber.  A story published at ScienceNews reports that out of the 12,000 high schoolers surveyed, only 900 slept for nine hours per night.  Another 2,800 responded that they slept for eight hours, considered a borderline good night’s sleep for that age group.

[Researchers] found that 30.2 percent, or about 3,600 students, sleep for only seven hours per night. About 2,700 students, or 22.8 percent, sleep only six hours per night. About 1,200 students, or 10 percent, reported sleeping five hours, and 5.9 percent, or 708 students, said they slept four hours or less.

Researchers did not report a definitive reason for this lack of sleep.  For some suggestions on helping your teen get a better night’s sleep, check out our article on Sleep & Teens, from the SleepBetter Sleep Solutions page.