When I was in high school, I always thought it was cruel and unusual to have to get up when it was still dark outside in order to catch a 7AM bus.  That’s just mean.  And sadistic.

Anyway, there’s some research now showing that adolescent sleeping patterns are unique, in that teens tend to sleep longer and wake up later in the day.  It seems like y’all need about 9 hours of sleep, and have body clocks that are programmed about 2 hours later.  

Why?  No one knows yet.  It could be hormonal.  It could be an evolutionary adaptation.  During puberty, the brain reorganizes itself a bit, so maybe it needs more time to get itself in order.

Whatever the reason, this doesn’t mean that all you kiddies should use these studies as justification to stay up late partying or whatever it is y’all do nowadays.  Instead, y’all should rise up and start a revolution!  Petition for a later start in the school day (which some districts have already implemented, and others are considering) so that you’re actually awake during your classes.  And get enough sleep for cryin’ out loud!

The article.

Thanks to G!  Who, ironically, is depriving me of sleep right now by giving me this article to blog about.

And I apologize for not backing up this health blog with sources today.  I’m just gonna go ahead and trust the article because I need to sleep myself.  But I will say that when you read about scientific studies, you see only a few numbers describing a lot of people – meaning it’s not a one-size-fits-all proposition.  So, on average, studies show that teenagers function better when they get about 9 hours of sleep.  Some need more, some need less.  It’s ultimately an individual thing.  So really, what you need to do is pay attention to your behavior and energy levels throughout the day.  If you find that you’re always getting tired at around the same time everyday, or that you’re consistently moody or irritable, you should try getting more sleep to see if that helps.

And don’t forget to start that revolution for a later school day.