OMG my 12 y/o DD has really begun sleeping so much this summer. She goes to bed around 8:30-9:00 pm and will sleep until 10-11 am in the morning. I realize teens tend to sleep later, etc. but this seems like a lot of sleep. Is this just developmental or should I be concerned?
Sleeping So Much!!!!
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Its very normal. My 15 year old stays up late (1-3 am) and sleeps until around noon. He sets his alarm and adjusts his sleeping as needed when he knows he has to be up. It's not easy though. Teens have different internal clocks quite often I think.
They have changing brains and with those changes comes the need for more sleep. Here is a great source of info on this subject.
http://www.talkaboutsleep.com/sleep-...ders_teens.htm
Gray Matters: The Teenage Brain
There are more than 29 million teenagers in this country -- 29 million fertile, creative, impressionable minds that each and every day face the daunting array of challenges called adolescence.
Adolescence has been described as a busy time for the human brain. It's a time of transition, as the brain, like the rest of the body, physically eases into adulthood. And in the process, the brain's gray matter absorbs an explosion of new external stimuli -- stimuli uniquely attached to the teenage years. High school, peer pressure, sexuality. The list goes on. And as it does, the brain is challenged. In most cases, it thrives. Sometimes it does not.
Over the next hour, you'll be hearing some of the stories about science and the teenage brain. They are stories, first and foremost, about teenagers themselves. But they are also stories about scientists who are looking inside the teenage brain in order to better understand how and why young people develop and behave the way they do.
http://www.talkaboutsleep.com/sleep-...ders_teens.htm
Gray Matters: The Teenage Brain
There are more than 29 million teenagers in this country -- 29 million fertile, creative, impressionable minds that each and every day face the daunting array of challenges called adolescence.
Adolescence has been described as a busy time for the human brain. It's a time of transition, as the brain, like the rest of the body, physically eases into adulthood. And in the process, the brain's gray matter absorbs an explosion of new external stimuli -- stimuli uniquely attached to the teenage years. High school, peer pressure, sexuality. The list goes on. And as it does, the brain is challenged. In most cases, it thrives. Sometimes it does not.
Over the next hour, you'll be hearing some of the stories about science and the teenage brain. They are stories, first and foremost, about teenagers themselves. But they are also stories about scientists who are looking inside the teenage brain in order to better understand how and why young people develop and behave the way they do.
Teens do need a lot more sleep, and at different times of night/day......my teens can stay up all night and sleep all day.
I always thought it was cruel and unusual punishment to make teens go to school so early in the morning....my kids high school starts/started at 7 am and they got out at 2:45 pm. I always thought they should go in at 2 and stay until 7, they seem more naturally adapted to be up later at night and sleeping later in the day. I'd bet there'd be a much lower drop-out rate if they simply changed the times.
I always thought it was cruel and unusual punishment to make teens go to school so early in the morning....my kids high school starts/started at 7 am and they got out at 2:45 pm. I always thought they should go in at 2 and stay until 7, they seem more naturally adapted to be up later at night and sleeping later in the day. I'd bet there'd be a much lower drop-out rate if they simply changed the times.
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Totally normal.
Teens just have the ability to roll back over and go back to sleep for hours, regardless of whether or not they really NEED it. Most of the time they don't (they would be fine with 10 or so hours) but they can and it feels good, so they do, kwim?
Teens just have the ability to roll back over and go back to sleep for hours, regardless of whether or not they really NEED it. Most of the time they don't (they would be fine with 10 or so hours) but they can and it feels good, so they do, kwim?
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I would buy the child an alarm clock and expect them to use it. In our house we don't sleep past 7:30-8 on any given day (even weekends). My DH just won't allow it. I used to be against that but seriously, why would anyone need to sleep that late into the morning?
Maybe she needs more to do. I would up her chores for the day so she has to get started earlier in the morning.
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: There was once a time when kids as young as 5 were working in the outdoors on farms beginning at daybreak. Kids have gotten very lazy over the years! I was a sleeper as a kid and don't remember sleeping past 8am most mornings even in the summer months. My parents didn't like it.
Maybe she needs more to do. I would up her chores for the day so she has to get started earlier in the morning.
I agree that this is normal. My teen could sleep 13-15 hours straight if he/we had nothing going on.
He could also stay up 48 hours straight when he slacked off on his colledge assignment. I did that too when I was "his age"
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Interesting suggestion. May I ask what is the purpose to do what you propose? Other than "this is the way it was done back in a day"?
He could also stay up 48 hours straight when he slacked off on his colledge assignment. I did that too when I was "his age"
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Originally Posted by mommy68 I would buy the child an alarm clock and expect them to use it. In our house we don't sleep past 7:30-8 on any given day (even weekends). My DH just won't allow it. I used to be against that but seriously, why would anyone need to sleep that late into the morning? Maybe she needs more to do. I would up her chores for the day so she has to get started earlier in the morning.
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I totally agree!!! There is a growing consensus on this subject, and many schools are already starting later.
Here are some articles on the subject.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_admi...admin314.shtml
http://www.schoolrenewal.org/strategies/i-sleep-mo.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...010901561.html
http://library.adoption.com/Parentin...le/3340/1.html
Originally Posted by sevenkids Teens do need a lot more sleep, and at different times of night/day......my teens can stay up all night and sleep all day. I always thought it was cruel and unusual punishment to make teens go to school so early in the morning....my kids high school starts/started at 7 am and they got out at 2:45 pm. I always thought they should go in at 2 and stay until 7, they seem more naturally adapted to be up later at night and sleeping later in the day. I'd bet there'd be a much lower drop-out rate if they simply changed the times. |
I totally agree!!! There is a growing consensus on this subject, and many schools are already starting later.
Here are some articles on the subject.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_admi...admin314.shtml
http://www.schoolrenewal.org/strategies/i-sleep-mo.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...010901561.html
http://library.adoption.com/Parentin...le/3340/1.html
The adolescent brain is going through massive changes, pruning neurons and pathways and developing new ones. The brain of little children is lazy in comparison. I think teens need a lot of sleep and we need to be flexible with them in this. Yes, they still have to meet expectations for school work and family responsibilities, but they have a physiological need to sleep A LOT.
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I think adjustment for the differences from person to person is much more respectful than this cut and dried approach. I would be more than a little annoyed/creeped out if my DP thought it was his place to monitor when I sleep. What's wrong with people being in control of their own bodies when it becomes a developmentally reasonable responsibility for them?
Originally Posted by mommy68 I would buy the child an alarm clock and expect them to use it. In our house we don't sleep past 7:30-8 on any given day (even weekends). My DH just won't allow it. I used to be against that but seriously, why would anyone need to sleep that late into the morning? Maybe she needs more to do. I would up her chores for the day so she has to get started earlier in the morning.
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I like the early rising family idea. It's a good habit to get up early -- I always feel better about myself when I do.
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I'm not trying to be an instigator here, I don't know you or your family, BUT!!! Keep an eye out for anything other discrepencies from normal behavior (if there is a "normal" where teens are concerned
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) I was 13 when I began dabbling in drugs (granted I lived in Europe where it was much much more prevelant) and when I remember is being tired all the time...
Again, just a thought... I'm sure thats not what it is, 12 is waaay young (and I'm sure your kiddo is much much smarter than I ever was)
Again, just a thought... I'm sure thats not what it is, 12 is waaay young (and I'm sure your kiddo is much much smarter than I ever was)
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Wow, I'm pretty shocked that people are advocating a forced rigid schedule like that here.
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Not everyone has the same schedule or needs the same amount of sleep. My dh feels fully refreshed after only 5-6 hours, where I need a minimum of 8. When af's here, I need more plus an afternoon nap to feel normal. My ideal sleep schedule would be midnight until 10 am. Not because I'm lazy, because that's when I feel the best and most rested.
Not everyone has the same schedule or needs the same amount of sleep. My dh feels fully refreshed after only 5-6 hours, where I need a minimum of 8. When af's here, I need more plus an afternoon nap to feel normal. My ideal sleep schedule would be midnight until 10 am. Not because I'm lazy, because that's when I feel the best and most rested.
thanks mamas...
no my 12 y/o is still very much a little girl and there is no possibility or opportunity for her to be into anything like drugs... but yes, i do know that this can be a sign for some children.
she is with us always and goes to be at a normal time.
i think like one poster said, she just turns over and kind of makes herself go back to sleep.
we do not let her sleep all morning and she has daily chores but on the weekends if she sleeps until 10 its ok as long as she gets her stuff done for that day and participates with the family. during the week she goes to camp so i make sure she is up for chores and breakfast.
i just noticed an increase in her sleeping in this summer and was wondering if it was developmental at this age or just a lazy summer feeling.
no my 12 y/o is still very much a little girl and there is no possibility or opportunity for her to be into anything like drugs... but yes, i do know that this can be a sign for some children.
she is with us always and goes to be at a normal time.
i think like one poster said, she just turns over and kind of makes herself go back to sleep.
we do not let her sleep all morning and she has daily chores but on the weekends if she sleeps until 10 its ok as long as she gets her stuff done for that day and participates with the family. during the week she goes to camp so i make sure she is up for chores and breakfast.
i just noticed an increase in her sleeping in this summer and was wondering if it was developmental at this age or just a lazy summer feeling.
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perfectly normal....but also be aware of thyriod issues can cause a person to need a lot of sleep.
Don't forget the rapid and large amount of physical growth during the teenage years. The only time they grow this fast is in the first year of life, and they sleep a lot during that year too (well, some do lol). If I had to grow several inches I would be sleeping a lot too. You will probably find her a few inches taller in a few weeks.
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