Both communities had difficulties adjusting , she says, because it meant altering bus schedules, and sending elementary children to school earlier. When adolescents don't get as much sleep as they need, it changes their outlook on life, Carskadon says. Kids walk around under a gray cloud. Things that are happy and pleasant seem less so. And things that are sad and unpleasant seem more so.
Dahl says teens, like adults, become more emotional when they are sleep-deprived.
If something strikes them as funny, they may get silly and giggly. If something is sad, they are more likely to cry. And if they are frustrated or angry, they have a harder time controlling their emotions, he says. Some kids say that when they sleep a lot, they feel even worse. Besides reconsidering start times, Carskadon and others would like schools to teach children about the importance of sleep.