Why Teens Need to Sleep Till Late

Sleep has always been related to the idea of peace and relaxation. An expert in her field Mary Carskadon talks about how the nature of sleep changes when a child grows up.

The biological concept of sleep pattern clashes with the society’s requirements. Our sleep is regulated by two mechanisms- circadian rhythms and sleep pressure. These systems change as we grow up. Even though a child needs the same amount of sleep when he grows up, but because of the change in the circadian rhythm, older children tend to go to sleep late. This disturbs their sleep patterns because they do not sleep on time but have to get up early. This makes them crushed and tired in the morning. The child is sleepy because of the sleep pressure but wakes up early for school at a time when the circadian system needs sleep.

So as long as they are required to wake up early and have disturbed sleep, the children will suffer from “social jetlag”, which does not allow the timing of life and timing of body to go hand in hand. 

Content: www.sciencedaily.com