Teen Brains Need Sleep! Today, let’s talk about sleep.

From conception to death, the human brain never stops developing and adjusting to new information.  It does, however, go through two significant growth spurts (so to speak):  birth to 3 years and the onset of puberty to 24 years*.  During these phases of development, the brain is busy setting itself up for the next phase: in the infant, the next phase is childhood where foundational education and social skills are gained; in the adolescent, the next phase is adulthood and its responsibilities, including reproduction, interpersonal relationships, and productivity.

There are many myths about teenagers, hormones, and inappropriate behaviors.  We will talk about those in another post. 
Today, let’s talk about sleep.


Research has revealed that the adolescent brain is prepared for sleep when melatonin (the sleep hormone) is released.  The thing is, research also suggests that the adolescent’s melatonin is released about two hours later in the day than is the adult’s.  That means that adults start getting tired around 9 to 10 pm and teens are getting tired from 10 to 11 pm.  Since teens need about 9 to 10 hours of sleep each night, their wake-up times should be between 6 and 7 am. 


Current guidelines suggest that to get the best out of sleep, we should maintain a regular sleep schedule; the time we get up each morning should be consistent regardless of what time we fall asleep the night before.  This is particularly important for adolescents as their brains are so busy preparing to be adult brains.


*These cut-off years are approximate with a range of a year or two more or less.


Cheryl Stewart, MOTAL Board Member and Researcher
July 5, 2020


Sources:
The Teen Brain: 7 Things to Know. 
National Institute of Mental Health
www.nimh.nih.gov


The Adolescent Brain: Beyond Raging Hormones
Harvard Mental Health Letter, July 2005
www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/the-adolescent-brain-beyond-raging-hormones


The Adolescent Brain – What All Teens Need to Know
Karen Young