More and More Sleep Deprived Teens

A recent survey has shown that a growing number of teenagers are felling asleep in class because they are not getting enough hours of sleep. Christopher Drake, a psychologist with the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, said that "only 20% of children are getting optimal sleep, and nearly half are getting insufficient sleep."

"This is affecting all areas of their life. Kids who are getting insufficient sleep are more likely to feel depressed, more likely to get poorer grades and be impaired while driving. This is a major, major serious area of concern," Ford added.

Sleep not only restores the mind and the body of the individual, but also helps with processing the information they will be given at school. Lack of sleep is also linked to an increased risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and infections. Children and adolescents should get 9 hours of sleep daily, according to experts.

The poll took into consideration data collected from 1,602 parents and their children. According to the results, 28% of high-school students fell asleep in class at least once a week, 32% while doing their homework and 14% missed school or arrived later because they slept too much.

80% of students who get big grades sleep 9 hours a day, while those who do not sleep enough get lower grades. 28% of adolescents confessed that they are too tired to exercise.

"There are a lot of things that parents can do to help teens get better sleep," Drake said. "One is to get rid of the computer, get rid of the Internet, get rid of the television.
It's important to get those things out of the bedroom, as well as telling kids not to drink caffeine after 12 noon. It's also important to keep a regular schedule on weekdays and weekends, allowing for at least 9 hours in bed at night."