e know: getting your teen out of bed can be a drag.
But aside from testing your patience, did you know that irregular sleep patterns, which lead to fatigue and difficulty getting out of bed, can also put your child at higher risk of school-related problems?
That’s according to a new report (which will be presented by SLEEP 2023) which surveyed more than 700 students aged 15 in the United States via actigraphy devices on their wrists to track their movements and estimate sleep patterns.
The study found that teens with greater night-to-night variability in the time they fell asleep were 42% more likely to have been suspended or expelled in the past two years.
It also found that 29% of teens with irregular bedtimes are more likely to have received a D in a class, with 26% of teens more likely to outright fail.
And the likelihood of suspension or expulsion among teens with greater variability in sleep duration?
That was also 31% higher.
As lead author Dr Gina Marie Mathew, a postdoctoral associate at Stony Brook Medicine explained: “Variability in sleep duration and later sleep timing were associated with worse academic performance and school-related behaviours in our sample.”
“The results highlight the importance of early, regular sleep timing and duration for optimal academic performance and school-related behavioural functioning in adolescence.”
Okay, but how much sleep is enough?
And as a parent, how can you help your teen get the sleep they need for wellbeing? Well, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine says 8 to 10 hours of sleep on a regular basis promotes optimal health among teens.
