Sleep Deprivation in Teenagers

A Rise in Sleep Deprivation

Despite the recommended 8-10 hours of sleep for teenagers, 77% of high school students surveyed in 2023 reported sleeping far less than the recommended threshold of hours, according to the Journal of the American Medical Association (Richter). 

Oftentimes, this lack of rest leads to severe drowsiness in class, and serious long-term health issues, especially to mental health (Richter). While some adults tend to develop bad sleep habits, the issue itself has been mostly common amongst teenagers, especially those with heavy academic and extracurricular workloads. 

Short-term Consequences

One of the most direct consequences of a sleepless night is facing constant drowsiness in the morning. On average, especially after heavy late-night cramming sessions, students often arrive at school tired, and this can lead to extreme fatigue in school mornings. The real danger lies in the teenagers who drive themselves to school. 55% of car crashes related to sleeping while behind the wheel are caused by drivers under 25 (Child Mind Institute).

Drowsiness not only affects driving, but also almost any task, and with such a lack of focus throughout the day, teenagers do not perform at their best capacities either way. They may remain unenthusiastic for any tasks, have poor decision-making, clumsiness, and overall exhibit discomfort both physically and mentally, where most students attend school for almost 7 hours daily (Better Health). This does not count the hours most students spend on extracurricular activities. 

Long-term Consequences

While short-term drowsiness can hinder many important daily performances, even more danger lies within the inconsistent sleep patterns of overworked teenagers. While mental illness is already prone to developing during one’s teenage years, sleep deprivation may trigger serious mental health episodes. 

A heavy academic w

orkload mixed with a lack of sleep can lead to severe cases of stress and anxiety, which can lead to dangerous consequences if not treated. Mood disorders may also arise, as emotional regulation skills are heavily affected by a lack of proper sleep and self-care, which leads to reckless, “moody” behaviors. Many real cases of mental health disorders from a lack of sleep often ended in intense therapy and medication treatments to support recovery, which, of course, should not be normalized for young teenagers (Child Mind Institute). 

Prioritizing Health

Sometimes, the better choice is to sleep instead of cramming all of one’s homework into one night and risking one’s health for a simple grade. Teenagers often hold themselves to high standards when it comes to grades, but their health should always come first, because, of course, staying healthy supports the maintenance of good grades the most. 

Some ways to promote healthier sleeping habits are maintaining schedules to promote time management for all tasks, reducing caffeine intake, reducing screen time before bed, having appropriate alarms prepared to set off, and staying active throughout the day to promote a good night’s rest (Better Health). Starting better habits now can ultimately prevent larger consequences in the future and set oneself up for success. On average, students who prioritize their rest recall academic content better, so maybe sleeping an extra 30 minutes each night may be better than staying up late to study content that one may not even remember. Always remember to listen to your body!

Bibliography

Better Health Channel . “Teenagers and Sleep.” Betterhealth.vic.gov.au, Better Health Channel, 5 Nov. 2018, www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/teenagers-and-sleep.

Cunningham, Aimee. “A Rising Percentage of U.S. Teens Aren’t Getting Enough Sleep.” Science News, 2 Mar. 2026, www.sciencenews.org/article/teens-sleep-deprived-us-high-school.

‌Garey, Juliann. “Teens and Sleep: The Cost of Sleep Deprivation.” Child Mind Institute, Child Mind Institute, 8 Mar. 2024, childmind.org/article/happens-teenagers-dont-get-enough-sleep/.

Richter, Ruthann. “Among Teens, Sleep Deprivation an Epidemic.” Stanford Medicine News Center, Stanford Medicine, 8 Oct. 2015, med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2015/10/among-teens-sleep-deprivation-an-epidemic.html.