With a new school year underway, many schools are addressing sleep deprivation in the classroom. According to the Child Mind Institute, biology, technology and societal expectations, combined with homework and extracurricular activities, create a perfect storm for chronic sleep deprivation. Sleep deprivation can negatively affect a teens mood, as well as their ability to think, react, regulate their emotions, learn and get along with peers.
A study published in The Journal of Adolescent Health indicated that students need 9.25 hours of sleep to be optimally alert; however, only 8 percent of high school students in the United States are getting the recommended hours of sleep. Some 23 percent of students get six hours of sleep on an average school night with 10 percent of students getting only five hours of sleep.
Learn more about sleep deprivation and how you can help teens combat sleep loss in this free guide by Child Mind Institute, Parents Guide to Teenagers and Sleep.