Teenagers seem to be finding new reasons to hit that snooze button lately.
Recent research suggests that getting up to two extra hours of sleep on weekends may initially help teens feel less anxious. However, if they sleep significantly longer, it might actually increase their internal stress instead of alleviating it.
“The findings indicate that sleeping either less on weekends or more can lead to increased anxiety symptoms,” explained Sojeong Kim, a doctoral candidate at the University of Oregon.
There’s a kind of sweet spot, according to experts—just under two hours of “catch-up” sleep could ease anxiety without disrupting the body’s internal clock too much.
This study analyzed data from about 1,900 adolescents aged 12-15 across the U.S., utilizing Fitbit trackers to monitor sleep patterns along with a parent-reported survey to evaluate mood symptoms.
Dr. Wendy Troxel, a senior behavioral scientist at Rand Corporation, mentioned that while a couple of hours extra sleep can provide temporary relief, oversleeping poses the risk of “social jet lag.”
These insights highlight a broader issue regarding teen sleep in the U.S.
“We have a significant epidemic of sleep disorders among young people,” remarked Dr. Rachel Widom, an epidemiologist and professor at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. “The reality is, most adolescents do not get enough sleep during school nights.”
The CDC reports that only 23% of teens manage to get 8-10 hours of sleep, with the average clocking in at just 6-7 hours. This lack of sleep correlates with anxiety, chronic absences, poor decision-making, and risky behaviors.
Troxel identified early school start times as a major hurdle for teens trying to catch sufficient sleep. Other contributing factors include increased caffeine consumption, screen time, and packed schedules.
Widome and Dr. Shelby Harris, psychologists at the Albert Einstein School of Medicine, advocate for shifting school start times to 8:30 AM. They believe adhering to the minimum recommended schedule from the American Academy of Pediatrics could help combat this crisis, as teenage biological changes make early starts especially challenging.
“This study emphasizes the need for more sleep among teenagers,” Harris noted. “Their biological rhythms naturally shift, leading to an inclination for later sleep and wakefulness, so early start times are quite problematic.”
The results of the study were shared in the online edition of the Journal Sleep and were presented at Sleep 2025, an annual gathering organized by the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.
