The older students get, the less control their parents have over what time they go to bed every night. The National Sleep Foundation recommends that individuals between the ages of 10 and 17 receive 8.5 to 9.25 hours of sleep each night. Of course, this does not always happen.
Based on new research from the University of California, Berkeley, going to bed at a decent hour is recommended for teenagers. Researchers found that staying up late beyond a reasonable hour during the school year could lead to academic and emotional problems. Students who were considered to be night owls had lower GPAs and more emotional troubles than their peers who got to bed at an appropriate hour.
"Academic pressures, busy after-school schedules, and the desire to finally have free time at the end of the day to connect with friends on the phone or online make this problem even more challenging," said Lauren Asarnow, a graduate student in the University's Golden Bear Sleep and Mood Research Clinic, as well as the study's lead author.
With schools in the process of implementing the rigorous Common Core State Standards, this type of information should help students make choices that help them excel academically. For night owls, this could mean setting an earlier bedtime.
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