Why do teenagers sleep late?
WHO, WHAT, WHY? The Magazine answers… Parents need no reminding of how late and long teenagers can sleep. Is there a biological reason why adolescents struggle to get up? The spotty teenager emerging from the bedroom at midday is a common sight in any family household, but until now it was presumed the habit was linked to young rebellion. Or laziness. Now researchers believe there could be biological reasons why those aged 10 to 20 need to sleep later and longer than the rest of us. About nine hours, to be exact. Tests by Professor Russell Foster, chairman of circadian neuroscience at Brasenose College, Oxford, suggest that students perform better in the afternoon, because their body clock is programmed about two hours later, possibly for hormonal reasons. “There’s a biological predisposition for going to bed late and getting up late. Clearly you can impose upon that even worse habits, but they are not lazy.” THE ANSWER • Teen body clocks start later, for reasons unknown, although it
