Teens typically need up to 10 hours of sleep each night to function at their best during the day. Problem is, many adolescents don't get the healthy sleep they need. Getting teens on a regular sleep schedule can improve their health, as well as their performance at school and at home, but it will require a creative approach.
If you have a teen, you have seen firsthand that children's sleep needs change over time. According to Kathy Gromer, MD, a sleep medicine physician at the Minnesota Sleep Institute in Edina, infants need roughly 16 hours of sleep each day. By age 4, children begin sleeping mostly at night, but they still need 10 to 12 hours of sleep. "Teens need 9 to 10 hours, although there is some natural variability," says Dr. Gromer.