Teens really need sleep
And your Mom was right about one other thing — You need your sleep!
A new Columbia University Medical Center study says teens who get at least eight hours of sleep had fewer cases of depression and suicidal thoughts.
The study examined data on 15,659 teens. Those with parental-mandated bedtimes at midnight or later were 25 percent more likely to suffer from depression and 20 percent more likely to have suicidal thoughts compared to teens with 10 p.m. or earlier bedtimes.
“It is a common perception and societal expectation that adolescents do not need as much sleep as preadolescents,” according to the professor leading the study. “Yet studies suggest that adolescents may actually require more sleep.”
If that argument fails to work on your teen, try this one: Another study found that teens who do not get enough sleep have a higher incidence of obesity. A University of Arizona researcher has found a correlation between body mass index and hours of sleep.
The teens getting fewer hours of sleep tended to be fatter than the kids getting enough sleep.
Sufficient sleep is important to mental and physical health — regardless of your teenager’s claims to the contrary.
editorialboard@sunjournal.com


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