How long are teenagers supposed to sleep

Sleep in Middle and High School Students. Minus Related Pages. Students who get enough sleep may have fewer attention and behavior problems. Healthy Youth.

To receive email updates about this page, enter your email address: Email Address. What's this? Many teenagers sleep late whenever possible and often have problems getting up in the morning. Teenagers' biological clocks change during puberty. Typically, adolescents and teens fall asleep at a later hour at night and tend to sleep later in the morning.

This pattern can present problems, because school schedules often require that teens get up early for classes. Some teens may develop sleep deprivation, which can result in:. Teenagers need about 10 hours of sleep each night. If your teen is showing signs of not getting enough sleep, you can:. Author: Healthwise Staff. Falling asleep while driving can cause serious car accidents. Set regular bed and wake up times. Try to stick to your sleep schedule, within an hour or two, even on weekends.

Exercise regularly. Regular exercise can help you sleep better. Try not to exercise right before bed, though. Exercise can rev you up and make it harder to fall asleep. Avoid caffeine. Don't drink beverages with caffeine , such as soda, tea, and coffee, after dinner. Nicotine smoking and vaping and alcohol in the evening can make a person restless and interrupt sleep. Unwind by keeping the lights low. When your teen is well-rested, ask how he felt that day while taking a test or playing a sport.

Help him come to the conclusion that sleep improves his outlook—and help him realize how much sleep is enough. Tie good sleep to car privileges. Sleep deprivation in teens can lead to accidents. Help teens rethink their schedule.

If your teen typically starts homework after evening activities, help him find an earlier time to get started. Ultra-busy schedules may require paring down.