(ARA) - Everybody's doing it. Don't worry about it. It's not a big deal. These classic, sometimes cliche peer pressure phrases haunt many parents' imaginations and are often accompanied by images of drugs and other illegal activities. Would you believe that the newest form of pressure on teens has them shortchanging the amount of sleep they get each night?
Balancing homework, part-time jobs, family responsibilities, sports and other extracurricular activities can be difficult to say the least, but many high schools and universities have noticed an alarming trend towards less and less sleep among their student bodies. According to Duke University, teens and college students sleep an average of six to seven hours a night, down from seven to 7.5 in the 1980s.
The risks of sleep deprivation are plentiful, with drowsy driving accidents being the most severe. And, recently released data from a long-term study by the University of Michigan Health System showed that young people whose preschool sleep habits were poor were more than twice as likely to use drugs, tobacco or alcohol. Grades and relationships can also suffer when kids are sleep deprived.
Duke University recently stopped offering 8 a.m. classes and plans to make sleep education mandatory during freshman orientation. Duke isn't the only organization taking action to encourage more sleep. Several public, K-12 school districts across the country have adopted later start times in recognition that kids need more sleep for learning readiness.
As the chair of the Sleep Advisory Board for Select Comfort, and a resident of a Minneapolis suburb that pioneered the movement towards delayed start times, I have watched this phenomenon from its beginning. Edina, Minn., was named Healthy Sleep Capital of the Nation in 2000 by the National Sleep Foundation because of the school district's efforts to meet the sleep needs of adolescents by delaying high school start times from 7:25 to 8:30 a.m.
What I find most encouraging is that there seems to be a growing interest in sleep education and a desire to foster healthy sleep habits in today's youth. I recently led a series of sleep seminars for teachers and parents at the request of the Edina School District. Understanding that kids are wired differently for sleep is very important. Not only do kids and young adults need more sleep than adults, they typically have a hard time falling asleep before 11 p.m. This is called a delayed sleep phase and is characterized by a dysfunction of circadian rhythms, or internal time clocks.
Dr. Judy Owens, pediatric sleep expert at Brown University and a member of the Sleep Advisory Board at Select Comfort, recently hosted a continuing education course at Brown Medical School titled "Sleep and College Students: Problems and Solutions." The course was designed to help student health service providers understand how sleep issues impact mood and performance, and to train health professionals to recognize and treat sleep and circadian rhythm problems in students.
While educating young people and their health providers about healthy sleep habits is important, both Dr. Owens and I agree that setting a good example for our children is vital. By practicing work-life balance and time-management skills, our nation's young people will take our lead and develop positive school-life balance.
Being a Good Role Model: Tips for Making Sleep a Priority
1. Set a regular sleep schedule
By committing to a regular sleep/wake schedule (even on the weekends) it will be easier to fall asleep and easier wake up. Staying up late on Saturday nights and sleeping late on Sunday morning creates an artificial jet lag when your alarm rings on Monday morning.
2. Make your bedroom a haven for sleep
When you enter your bedroom, you want to signal your brain that it is time to wind down and relax. Avoid working in bed or watching television in the bedroom. Also, if your mattress has you tossing and turning, start shopping for a new one. The Sleep Number bed by Select Comfort offers adjustable, personalized firmness on both sides of the bed, ensuring that both sleep partners rest comfortably without compromise.
3. Seek treatment for snoring or other sleep problems
If you snore excessively or have other sleep disorders, such as restless leg syndrome, chances are that you're not the only one that suffers. Your sleep partner is probably losing sleep, too. Talk to your doctor about your problems; he/she may have a solution.
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