Common Myths About Teens and Sleep Busted by Recent Survey

Common Myths About Teens And Sleep Teen Sleep Deprivation melatonin Altered Sleep Patterns school start times

By Jo Anne Hubert , Parent Herald Oct 05, 04:27 am

Parents, your teenagers who are, almost all the time, sleepy aren't lazy; they are just misunderstood, a recent survey reveals.

As the new school year has begun, Harvard-affiliated sleep health researchers are giving an important message to parents and caregivers about their teenagers and sleep. And the message goes, "You are wrong," reported by the Harvard Gazette.

There are many misconceptions and myths about teens and sleep that parents believe to be true. Brigham and Women's Hospital investigators are debunking these myths and setting the record straight in a recent study published in Sleep Health.

These investigators recruited experts in adolescent sleep to identify myths about teens and sleep. Researchers then surveyed 200 parents and caregivers about the identified myths and found that two-thirds believed in these top three myths that involved altered sleep patterns on weekends, school start times, and the safety of melatonin.

A researcher in Brigham's Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders, Rebecca Robbins, declared, "Adolescents face myriad barriers when it comes to sleep, some of which are physiological and others behavioral. Given these challenges, it is critical to reduce any modifiable barriers that stand in the way for young people when it comes to sleep."

Robbins further stated that the study aimed to identify common teen and sleep myths and motivate future public outreach and education programs to promote truth based on evidence about sleep health.

10 common myths

The study, "Adolescent Sleep Myths: Identifying False Beliefs That Impact Adolescent Sleep and Well-being," listed 10 of the most common myths about teens and sleep, which researchers deconstructed.

1. Staying up and sleeping late on weekends isn't a big deal as long as teens get enough sleep during that time.

It is a big deal. About 74 percent of parents and caregivers agreed with this myth. Researchers explain that these varying sleep schedules on the weekend also called "social jetlag," can worsen sleep and do not restore sleep deficits. Moreover, varying sleep schedules on weekends can lead to lower academic performance, risky behavior such as extreme alcohol consumption, and a higher risk of mental health.

2. Delayed school start times motivate later bedtimes.

Sixty-nine percent of parents and caregivers believe in this myth. However, researchers showed numerous studies showing that delayed middle and high school start times resulted in significantly more sleep. Students extend their sleep in the morning, but their sleep in the evening has not been impacted.

3. Melatonin supplements are safe because they are "natural."

Though melatonin has become a popular supplement for adults and adolescents, longer-term studies on its use and effects are lacking, particularly about its effects on puberty and development. The researchers raised concerns about teens being allowed to take melatonin without medical evaluation or supervision and a lack of behavioral interventions to cure insomnia.

4. Getting too much sleep is bad for teenagers.

Researchers said parents need not be concerned if their teenagers sleep in sometimes versus regularly. The study even noted that guidelines for sleep refer to consistent nightly sleep duration and not occasional nights of "recovery sleep" after times of sleep deprivation.

5. Teens need less sleep than younger kids.

Technically this is correct. High schoolers should sleep for 8 to 10 hours while the younger ones for 9 to 11 hours. However, most teens do not reach anywhere near the recommended sleep guidelines, to begin with. Thus, parents, as stated above, need not worry if their teenagers sleep too much.

6. Energy drinks counter the effects of a sleepless night.

Robbins declared that energy drinks trick the brain into thinking that the body is not tired. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have warned parents and caregivers that sugar, caffeine, and other energy drinks' stimulants can cause serious diseases like anxiety, insomnia, and other health problems. Thus, energy drinks can cause sleeping problems in the long run.

7. Sleep schedules are beyond most teens' control.

But it can be under the parents' control. Thus, researchers suggested that parents and caregivers redo the strict bedtime routine they implemented as new parents.

8. Teenagers who hit the snooze button are lazy.

They are not. It is just really too early for their brains to be up. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, early school time starts, such as earlier than 8:30 a.m., are partially responsible for teen exhaustion. Thus, experts praised California's changes in school times as they allow learning and health improvements.

9. Teens should be studying all night before taking a test.

Researchers reminded parents that no one, even adults, can think clearly if sleep deprived. Robbins stated that the best "learning outcomes" happen when students study in "chunks." It is much better to review daily and sleep well than stay up late the night before the exam. Staying up late actually deteriorates the ability to retain information, and "next-day exhaustion clouds cognitive function in areas of problem-solving, reasoning and comprehension."

10. Kids that aren't motivated fall asleep during class.

Teens most likely drift off to sleep not because they are unmotivated but because they are going through puberty. Robbins showed a study revealing that daytime drowsiness increases with puberty, ages 8 and 13 for girls and 9 and 14 for boys.