Adolescents are biologically wired to stay up late and sleep late. But many schools across the country start their classes before 7:30 am. Student wellbeing activist David Magee says this needs to change, but until then, offers tips to help sleep-deprived teens.
Most teens don’t get the recommended amount of sleep, and early school start times are making the problem even worse, according to student wellbeing activist David Magee. But, as reported in a recent NPR article, there’s a movement (albeit a complicated one) to mandate later school start times so students can get the sleep they desperately need.
“When teens don’t get adequate sleep, their mental health plummets,” says Magee, author of the newly published book Things Have Changed: What Every Parent (and Educator) Should Know About the Student Mental Health and Substance Misuse Crisis and award-winning book Dear William: A Father’s Memoir of Addiction, Recovery, Love, and Loss, in a release. “At a time when middle schoolers and high schoolers already face unprecedented levels of anxiety, depression, and suicide ideation, giving them a little extra sleep in the morning would be a relatively easy way to support their wellbeing.”
The American Academy of Pediatrics agrees. Adolescents are biologically wired to stay awake later at night and sleep later in the morning. For this reason, they recommend that schools begin their classes at 8:30 am (or later) to give students a chance to get more sleep.
When students don’t get that essential rest, it causes a constellation of problems: behavior mimicking the symptoms of ADHD, roller-coaster emotions and impulses, and angry outbursts. Plus, lack of sleep increases the risk of anxiety and depression. This is dangerous enough on its own, says Magee. But children with mental health disorders like these are also more likely to try to self-medicate through substances such as drugs and alcohol.
Promoting student wellness is a personal mission for Magee, who lost his son William to an accidental drug overdose in 2013. Determined to help children safeguard against the dangers they face, he travels the country discussing mental health and wellbeing with students, parents, and teachers. He also founded the William Magee Institute for Student Wellbeing and the William Magee Center for AOD and Wellness Education at the University of Mississippi.
While early school start times are still a factor in many students’ chronic exhaustion, there are several ways parents can help their children get the rest they need. A few tips:
Start by talking to your child about the importance of sleep. Don’t preach and pressure your child to go to bed, says Magee in the release. (That almost always backfires.) Instead, start an open and ongoing conversation about its importance, and be sure to factor in how your child’s school start time (whenever it may be) impacts their individual needs. More than one-third of all teens get only five to six hours of sleep a night. Chances are your child is underslept too. A candid discussion is far more likely to get through to them than a lecture.
Actually, adds Magee, it’s best to put sleep in context with other wellness habits they need to be mastering now.
“Children crave joy more than anything else,” he says. “Unfortunately, many of the dangers threatening children—like drugs, alcohol, and mental illness—rob them of that joy. Young people need a ‘toolbox’ of tools and habits to help steer them toward joy and away from anxiety, depression, and substance misuse. In addition to sleep, children should prioritize daily exercise, quality time with family, mindful smartphone and social media use, and faith in something bigger than themselves,” he says in a release.
Help them choose a healthy bedtime. “Let your child be part of this discussion,” says Magee in a release. “Listen to your child’s thoughts and work with them to find an appropriate bedtime together. Be willing to compromise a bit, if necessary, but ensure that you land on a time that works for everyone.”
Identify their sleep obstacles. What’s standing in the way of your child’s sleep? Are they having caffeine at 4 in the afternoon? Do they watch overly stimulating television shows or play video games right before bed? Does the blue light emitting from their smartphone keep them wired long past bedtime? (This is a common phenomenon that suppresses melatonin, the sleep hormone.) Examine these typical culprits and ask your child what they think is preventing them from getting tired and falling asleep. Then establish some guidelines to help them get tired at the appropriate time.
Remind them to keep the phone and the laptop away from the bed. Emphasize that the bed is for sleeping, not for social time or doing homework. If your child doesn’t already have a space in the home to do these things, help them set up a desk or choose a spot at the kitchen table for schoolwork. When it’s time to sleep, all devices should be stored elsewhere for the night.
Explain that substance use correlates with poor sleep. Some children (and adults) use substances to help them relax and fall asleep. But a University at Buffalo study showed that there is a clear association between alcohol and marijuana use and sleep deprivation. Further, those with substance misuse tendencies use more when they are tired, so sleep deprivation and substance use feed off each other. This is only one of the many reasons children should abstain from substances, says Magee in a release. Make sure they are aware of the connection.
If your child is showing ADHD symptoms, work on sleep as a first line of defense. Behavior that mimics ADHD, such as being unable to sit still and focus on class or homework, can be caused by a lack of sleep. But typical ADHD medications like Adderall or Vyvanse can intensify the lack of sleep when ADHD may not be the primary problem at all. Before getting your child a prescription, first see how their symptoms respond to more routine high-quality sleep.
Finally, think carefully about their extracurriculars and academic course load. Students today face pressure from all sides to achieve and succeed. Often this is driven by a need to build up their résumés so they can get into the “right” colleges. Many load up on honors and AP classes and join any number of sports teams, clubs, and service organizations. Unfortunately, overpacked schedules take a toll. Besides robbing them of the sleep their brains and bodies need, putting too much pressure on them can be harmful to their mental health.
“Yes, academic success matters, but it’s also critical that your child’s mental health is intact,” says Magee in a release. “Think carefully about what your child can handle and make sure they are part of the conversation before filling up their schedule. If they are struggling, you might help them choose to cut back a bit on activities or take a lighter course load next semester.”
Pushing back school start times could create logistical complications, says Magee in a release. But he believes working to find a solution that supports students’ wellbeing is well worth the effort. “Everyone wants to give students what they need to thrive,” concludes Magee. “Life is hard enough for them without pushing them to the point of exhaustion. If we can make their lives easier, then we should. Our children deserve no less.”
