Dr Robert Rosenberg discusses the importance of sleep for teens in an Arizona Daily Sun report.
Dear Dr. Rosenberg: What changes will we notice in the transition from children to teenagers?
A: We call it a phase shift. Many teenagers undergo a shift in their circadian rhythms. They find that they need to stay up later to feel sleepy. Their normal bedtime may shift as much as three hours or more. This is then compounded by their staying up later and waking up later on weekends. This further disrupts their circadian rhythms and makes it even more difficult to go to bed earlier and wake up on school days.
