The Average Length of Sleep for Teens

Average Length

• More than 90 percent of teenagers sleep fewer than nine hours per night, accordinga study in the May 2009 issue of the "Journal of School Health." In the study, researchers found that 92 percent of teens got less than or equal to 9 hours of sleep, with 10 percent of those teens sleeping for less than six hours nightly. On the lengthier -- and healthier -- end of the spectrum, the National Sleep Foundation reports that about 15 percent of teens get 8.5 hours of sleep on school nights.

Recommended Length

• What health professionals call a ̶0;good night's sleep̶1; is, predictably, a little longer than what most teens actually get. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Sleep Foundation recommend 8.5 to 9.25 hours of sleep per night for children aged 10 to 17. Everyone's body functions a little differently, so while 8.5 cuts it for some teens, others function better with that additional hour. Still others may be just fine with a little less: a 2012 report from Brigham Young University researchers found that 16-year-olds scored best on a standardized tests with about seven hours of sleep per night.

Effects

• Adequate sleep is vital to a healthy teen lifestyle. Getting the recommend amount of sleep bolsters your teen's ability to concentrate and retain information, and it helps temper their often erratic moods. A good night's sleep may even lead to better eating habits and ease acne breakouts. On a more serious note, sleep deprivation can pose serious risk to teens behind the wheel, as it greatly increases the likelihood of accidents.

Tips

• The National Sleep Foundation points out that as children become teens, their sleep cycles naturally shifts toward later times for both sleeping and waking. It's normal for teens to not get sleepy until after 11 p.m., so don't try to force your child to bed at 8 o'clock. Instead, encourage your teen to establish a regular sleep schedule and stick to it. Discourage long daytime naps and late-night homework, computer usage or TV time, and try to keep your teen away from caffeine or intense physical activity just before bed.