I passed by a local Starbucks one evening last week and noticed the teenagers present far outnumbered the adults. At first glance I thought it was pretty cool. Afterall, they were clustered in small groups and seemed to be working on school work together. But as I considered it further something bothered me. They all were drinking caffeinated drinks. Those of you who know me are probably thinking, "Physician heal thyself." I will admit that if you catch me before noon you will probably observe me with a cup of coffee in hand. No caffeine after noon, however. I know what it does to me sleep pattern.
That is my concern for today's teens who seem to have a predilection toward coffee and energy drinks. From my perspective, this is due in no small part to sleep deprivation. The average teenagers get about two hours less sleep a day than their body requires. Experts state that teens, because they are still growing and developing, need about nine and a half hour sleep a night. Studies tell us the average teen gets only about seven and a half hours sleep.
Sleep deprivation is a huge problem. We hear alot about teens drinking alcohol and then driving, but little about the acidents caused by drowsy driving. The reality is lack of sleep not only effects teens ability to drive, but also classroom performance. If you are around teens much you can probably guess another consequence, irritability.
As a parent you might consider helping your teen to discover ways to organize their life better so they get more sleep and rely less on caffeine to keep them going.
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