Here’s an interesting note for parents of teens: teenagers need about nine hours of sleep each night. However, shifting circadian rhythms (the internal process that regulates sleep and wakefulness) often make it hard for them to fall asleep early enough to get the rest they need, interrupting teen sleep patterns.

If you have a teen zombie on your hands, encourage him or her to go to bed nine hours before he or she needs to wake up. Even if they don’t fall asleep right away, quiet activities like reading can still provide some rest. Avoid letting them use computers or watch TV during this time. The light from screens mimics sunlight and sends a “wake up!” signal to the brain, making it even harder to fall asleep.

So this explains why teens are addicted to sleeping until noon on the weekends!

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