Sleep in Young Adolescents 1

Sleep in Young Adolescents

Nicole Parkerson, Chloe Guler, Ryan Williams, Caroline Kopf

Georgia College & State University

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Young adolescents face many unique challenges and hardships that are new and

undiscovered. Students now struggle with sleep deprivation more than ever before, and as future

teachers, we strive to not only understand these problems but find solutions and ways to help our

students. The CDC analyzed data collected from a youth risk behavior survey and found that

57.8% of students in grades 6 to 8 receive less than 8 to 9 hours of sleep a night. This is below

the recommended amount of sleep; many young adolescents are sleep-deprived. Each student is

unique in their situation, but figuring out common causes and solutions is one way to be an

advocate for our students.

Sleep deprivation in young adolescents is a major issue and affects their overall health

and well-being. It affects young adolescents’ “profound mental, physical, social, and emotional

development” (Suni & Dimitrui, 2020). Different factors like diet, technology, anxiety, and

stress all play a role in sleep health. In order to have a healthy sleep schedule it is important that

those factors do not interrupt or distress our sleep. Diet is important because it is where we gain

the majority of our energy from. According to the Sleep Foundation, diets that are high in

calcium, melatonin, magnesium, and potassium will allow for healthy sleep (2020). There are

also foods you should stay away from that are in abundance like high fat foods, highly

caffeinated foods and drinks, and eating too close to bedtime. Parents should be aware of the

types of foods they are stocking the fridge with for their student to eat. It is important to eat

balanced meals in order to get the best sleep possible. Technology is also an important factor to

think of when analyzing your sleep quality. Studies show that technology should be put away at

least an hour before going to sleep because “The blue light emitted by many devices disrupts the

natural production of melatonin” (Suni, 2022). Young adolescents are very attached to their

technology, so it is important to set boundaries with it at bedtime for their benefit. Another factor
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that is disturbing sleep quality in young adolescents is anxiety and stress. This time of their life is

ever-changing and that is hard to deal with for some. These factors disturb sleep and do not allow

for adequate or quality sleep at night. It is important to be aware of stress factors and try to get

help when needed, or practice self-care to minimize anxiety in order to sleep better and for

overall health.

Being a young adolescent is hard. They go through many developmental changes

physically, cognitively, and with their social-emotional intelligence. It is important to understand

these changes in order to best support your child or student. Oftentimes, when a student is

struggling there are many different outside factors that could be affecting said student. However,

addressing their sleep pattern is an easy way to change the unhealthy routines these students may

possess. Not only does getting adequate sleep help the child out in everyday life, but it can also

help parents form a better relationship with their child. Gordon (2020) states “ research from

around the globe has linked sleep tendencies with relationship quality, showing that people who

sleep worse experience less satisfying relationships”. Making time to ensure the members of

your family are getting a healthy amount of sleep can improve homelife and can build a closer

bond between parents and their children. In general, understanding the importance of sleep will

truly change the quality of life you and your young adolescents live.

As young adolescents go through several developmental changes, it is crucial that they have

some aspects that maintain a constant in their lives. This can come from developing healthy

routines. Practicing routines can benefit students in all areas such as within the classroom, in

extracurriculars, and even at home. One area that should become a routine for students is keeping

a consistent sleep schedule. Garey (2016) states, “If a kid’s sleep schedule shifts dramatically on

the weekends—staying up most of the night and sleeping until midafternoon Saturday and
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Sunday—the chances of getting back to normal Sunday night are slim”. An inconsistency in

sleep patterns, not only drains students physically but can impact their learning and control of

their emotions. With sleep being a strong forefront to several issues that young adolescents face,

forming a bedtime routine can help support young adolescents in getting better sleep. Creating a

bedtime routine can help the young adolescent become adjusted to a regular sleep schedule as

their bodies naturally begin to adjust to this routine. Several things can contribute to this routine

such as taking time to relax before bed. Learning and practicing mindfulness and relaxation

techniques before bed can create a comfortable environment that can promote better sleep as the

body begins to relax. Part of this routine should also include the setting down of technology at

least 30 minutes before bed. Gilder (2016, as cited in Gary, 2023) claims that the blue light

emitted from the screen sends “a signal to the brain which suppresses the production of

melatonin and keeps kids from feeling tired”. This lack of production of melatonin and

overstimulation before bedtime plays a large part in the lack of sleep in young adolescents. Not

only does the limitation of screen time rest the eyes, but it also decreases brain stimulation. By

incorporating the limitation of screen time before bed into the already established routine, along

with relaxation techniques, young adolescents can decrease the overstimulation of the brain

before bedtime, ultimately leading to higher levels of natural melatonin and better sleep.

Students in today’s current age face more social dilemmas and hardships that we cannot

even begin to understand. As educators, we are consistently in our children's lives and can see

these hardships sometimes more than anyone else. Having active conversations with our students

about the importance of sleep and the factors that make sleeping more difficult is the first step in

being advocates for change for our students. As educators, we can provide the necessary tools

and guidance to help solve the problem of students not getting enough sleep.
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Resources:

Garey, J. (2016, January 29). How to Help Teenagers Get More Sleep. Child Mind Institute;

Child Mind Institute. https://childmind.org/article/help-teenagers-get-sleep/

Gordon. (2021, August 30). How working parents can prioritize sleep. Harvard Business

Review. https://hbr.org/2020/03/how-working-parents-can-prioritize-sleep

Suni, E., & Dimitriu, A. (2020, August 5). Sleep for Teenagers. Sleep Foundation; Sleep

Foundation. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/teens-and-sleep