Sleep Needs for Teens
At night, ideally, your teenager should enjoy restorative sleep. They actually require more sleep than adults—up to 11 hours compared to the seven to nine hours that adults need—in order to support their rapidly developing bodies and brains.
So, consistently losing sleep isn’t just a bad habit; it has serious consequences as teens transition into young adulthood.
Disrupted sleep can elevate stress, heighten anxiety, and even lead to depressive moods, as noted by Dr. Daniel Bigman, a child and adolescent psychiatrist and sleep medicine expert at Northwell Health. As he puts it, “Every amount of sleep that’s lost is important because of these consequences.”
Moreover, “it can lead to daytime fatigue, reduced motivation, and issues with impulse control or decision-making,” he added.
Recent findings indicate that a common behavior among teens is making it more challenging to achieve quality sleep: late-night phone usage.
Burning the Midnight Oil
In a study conducted in New York, researchers utilized a smartphone app and Fitbits to track phone usage and sleep patterns.
The findings showed that teens who spent more time on their phones during late hours ended up falling asleep later and consequently getting less sleep.
Specifically, for every 30 minutes spent on the phone after 10 p.m., teens fell asleep roughly 26 minutes later, woke up approximately 11 minutes later, and experienced about 12.9 minutes less sleep than usual.
Additionally, another study revealed that over half of American teens are on their phones for at least an hour between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. on school nights.
It also mattered if they used their phones right before sleep. Those who were actively using their phones in the five minutes prior to falling asleep experienced more disruptions in their sleep, especially during the initial half hour. In fact, each extra minute on their phones led to roughly a minute of wakefulness after they fell asleep.
Most teens were engaging with social media platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Snapchat when they should have been settling in for bed. On average, they spent about 44 minutes on social media after 8 p.m., while other apps were used for under six minutes each night. It was also noted that social media was accessed on more than half of the nights surveyed.
The Impact
Bigman emphasizes that it’s not just social media that disrupts sleep; any engaging activity can be a factor. “Phones can be very stimulating. Activities like social media browsing, watching videos, texting, or even just notifications send signals to our brain, which can keep us alert when we should be winding down,” he explained.
The light emitted from screens, in particular, can signal to the brain that it’s time to be awake, disrupting the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle.
This recent research provides more reliable data compared to earlier studies that relied on self-reported smartphone usage, which can often be misleading. The researchers here employed objective measures, monitoring smartphone activity directly and using Fitbits.
Bigman believes this reliable data reinforces the idea that late-night phone usage isn’t beneficial. “Overall, we’re getting more precise guidance on reducing phone use and avoiding stimulation in the evening, especially before bed,” he said.
His advice applies not just to teenagers but to anyone: maintaining good nighttime routines and sleep hygiene will yield benefits. “We should aim to lessen phone use before sleep and substitute bedtime habits with activities that are less stimulating,” he suggested. Reading, listening to music, relaxation exercises, and stretching are conducive to a better sleep environment.
For your children, promoting healthy habits is better than imposing strict rules. “My message isn’t about punishing teens for wanting to use their phones; it’s about guiding them toward healthier routines,” he advised.
