Teens are so full of potential, so full of life, so...sleepy. Research shows that most teens do not get the sleep that they need on a daily basis. Each person has their own need for sleep. This need may vary from one person to another. Teens are at an important stage of their growth and development. Because of this, they need more sleep than adults. The average teen needs about nine hours of sleep each night to feel alert and well rested (sleepcenter.ucla.edu, 2015).
Everyone has an internal clock that influences body temperature, sleep cycles, appetite and hormonal changes. The biological and psychological processes that follow the cycle of this 24-hour internal clock are called circadian rhythms. Puberty changes a teen's internal clock; delaying the time he or she starts feeling sleepy and awakens. And most teens need about nine hours of sleep a night and sometimes more to maintain optimal daytime alertness. But few teens actually get that much sleep regularly, thanks to factors such as part-time jobs, early-morning classes, homework, extracurricular activities, social demands, and use of computers and other electronic gadgets (Mayoclinic.org, 2015).
Sleeping is one of the most important functions in life. Teens spend one-third of their day sleeping meaning that by the age of 15, you will have spent about five years of your life asleep. That seems like a lot, but it is not wasted time. In fact, sleep is vital for a healthy body and mind (Pamf.org, 2015).