After school, there are piano lessons and homework, in addition to Boy Scouts and other activities. But wait, you say. Plenty, according to sleep experts. The problem is so serious that a few high schools across the country have begun starting classes later in the day. They underestimate the problems of being sleepy in the daytime and how it impairs mood and affects performance.
Sleep deprivation can even be fatal.
At the same time, teens' needs for sleep actually increase. Studies show that while fifth and sixth graders can be wide awake all day after about nine hours' sleep, teenagers need 10 hours to be alert all day long, says Simon. Other researchers put the necessary amount of sleep for teens at about 9 hours and 15 minutes a night. According to the National Sleep Foundation report, studies have shown that the typical high school student's natural bedtime is 11 p.m. or later. Teenagers' sleep problems are aggravated by the schedules they keep, says Simon.