New Study: Unhealthy Trend in Sleep Patterns of Teenagers
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A recent study published in the journal Michigan Pediatrics found that American teenagers sleep patterns are getting increasingly worse over the past two decades.
Researchers who analyzed the University of Michigan’s annual Monitoring the Future national surveys of youth behavior found that over 50% of teens aged 15 and older regularly get about two hours less sleep per night than recommended. Not getting enough sleep can have a drastic impact on many areas of a teenager’s life, including overall health and academic performance.
Experts recommend about ten hours of sleep per night for teens, and the results showed that more than half of US teens get less than seven. The largest decrease in sleep hours was reported in 15 year olds, and the results were slightly better for younger teens and slightly worse for older teens.
Researchers are unsure of the reasons for this unhealthy trend in sleep patterns, but some possible factors are the increase in use of technology and rising rate of obesity, which is linked to poor sleep. Kids who don’t get enough sleep are at risk for mood problems, depression, memory and learning difficulties and poor grades, according to psychologist Daniel Lewin, a sleep specialist at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C.
The researchers say making teens more aware of how much sleep they need – as well as the consequences of not getting enough sleep – might help reverse this trend. Reversing the trend will require public health efforts to raise awareness about the importance of sleep for teens.
Sleep vitamins can be an extremely helpful tool for anyone who is not getting a full, restful night’s sleep on a regular basis. Poor quality of sleep can disrupt many areas of your life and your everyday routine. What’s more, sleeplessness is also connected to muscle loss, weight gain, and poor overall health and well-being, among a variety of other health issues.
Link Between Sleep and Obesity
Studies show that getting more sleep is one of the best ways to fight obesity. One investigation, reported by the National American Association for the Study of Obesity, showed that people who got less than four hours of sleep each night were 73 percent more likely to suffer from obesity than those who get the standard eight hours of rest. Obesity risk was 50 percent higher in people getting about five hours of sleep on average, and 23 percent higher for those hitting the hay for only six hours a night. To make sure the results were valid, the researchers adjusted their findings to account for other contributing factors (like exercise) to isolate the effects of skipped sleep.
Their findings confirmed that the hormones that affect appetites are thrown off by lack of sleep. Leptin, a blood protein that curbs your appetite, decreases and ghrelin, which makes you want to eat, increases when your body is deprived of sleep.
But getting sufficient sleep — seven to nine hours — can reset your system in as few as three days.
What do you think about this new study on sleep patterns? Share your feedback in the comments!
