Give your child a break if they are staying up a little later, or sleeping in a little longer, there is a good reason for it.

Teenagers are children that fall between the ages of 13-19. During this time, their bodies are changing at a rapid rate. Remember back to when teens were babies, and you knew they needed sleep because when they slept? It's the same in the teen years. Give your child a break if they are staying up a little later or sleeping in a little longer, there is a good reason for it, and it's important that they get some sleep.

Poor Sleep In Teenagers Linked To Depression Later In Life

Once children, girls and boys alike, hit puberty age (around 13), their bodies start changing; hormones are rushing in; changes are happening.

There is also a big shift in the circadian rhythm –natural processes affecting physical, mental, and behavioral changes following a 24-hour cycle.

The circadian rhythm in this case is going to affect when melatonin is released to make them sleepy. It will be roughly a two-hour delay. Kids who once fell asleep by 9:00 pm won't be getting tired until 11:00 pm. It's the same for the morning hours. Just as melatonin hits later, it also drops off later in the morning.

No, teenagers are not just sleeping in and being lazy. This is actually because they need sleep. Both the National Sleep Foundation and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine say teens need 8-10 hours of sleep per night, and while they might not always get that much, it is important to try to get as much as possible.

This may seem odd, but not getting enough sleep along with getting too much sleep has shown to poorly affect performance in school. This goes back to what was mentioned above. Eight to ten hours may not always be possible, but that is what you should ideally shoot for.

According to the National Library of Medicine, consistently getting the right amount of sleep puts kids in a good position to be able to focus and retain more information. Not only that, their attention span is increased, and adequate sleep makes analytical thinking sharper.

Proper sleep will also help with overall emotional well-being. If you have ever been lacking sleep, I am sure you can attest to the fact that it makes you a bit crazy. Well, throw a bag of hormones into the mix, and you have an even more drama-fueled teenager.

The teen years are also when kids tend to be more athletic. Sleep is a big factor here too. It helps to reduce the risk of injury. Playing sports with a clear head and more mentally crisp thoughts improves reaction times and accuracy.

Sources: National Library of Medicine, Sleep Foundation, National Sleep Foundation. American Academy of Sleep Medicine

I am the mother of four boys. They were all born very premature. Two singletons and twins. I am very passionate about raising awareness for prematurity and mother's mental health. One of my sons has special needs as well. I have seen a different kind of motherhood than most, but very much enjoy writing articles to help parents of all kinds.