A cautionary tale of the dangers of a delayed sleep phase in adolescents

An excerpt from Born to Be Wild: Why Teens Take Risks, and How We Can Help Keep Them Safe. According to the National Sleep Foundation’s Sleep in America Poll of 2014, 75 percent of children in the United States have at least one electronic device in their bedroom, with a television being the most common (45 percent). Over one-third of these children leave the television on all night long, which is known to be especially disruptive to sleep because of the constant exposure to light and noise. With the mass proliferation of smartphones, tablets, computers, and video games, the median number of electronic devices in children’s bedrooms has climbed to one for children six to eleven years of age, two for those aged twelve to fourteen, and three for those over fifteen. Because adolescents generally experience a major circadian shift in their sleep cycle beginning around puberty, the distraction of electronics in the room during the teen years is particularly damaging. Adolescents’ natural circadian rhythm forces them toward a delayed sleep phase, going to bed and awakening later. For the average teenager, bedtime pushes later into the evening, total sleep time on weekdays decreases, and teens disproportionately complain of excessive daytime sleepiness. Given their tendency for a delayed sleep cycle, it’s ironic that the older kids get, the earlier school starts. Continue reading ... Your patients are rating you online: How to respond. Manage your online reputation: A soci...
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - Category: General Medicine Authors: Tags: Conditions Pediatrics Primary Care Psychiatry Source Type: blogs