Kids and Sleep Deprivation

Andrea Petersen chronicles how our children through the century have been sleep deprived. Researchers share that children sleep 70 minutes less than they did a century ago.

In the 1900's people used to blame it on the radio and school books. Now it's all about the Internet and TV.

Teenagers are notoriously sleep deprived. They wince at us parents when we "suggest" that they get their recommended 9-10 hours a day. You can just imagine now with lots of teens "sleeping with their cell phones, that are on all night, texts, lap tops in their rooms with chonic IM's beeping, waking them up, and our over achievers, some working on homework, and college applications to the wee hours in the morning. It's a wonder how they get up for school in the morning? Try to get up your teen in the morning. It's a grand feat! Some of them are so grouchy and angry, while some literally fall into a wall, but they do get up and drive themselves to school.

What's worse is that in recent years studies have connected sleep deprivation with a higher incidence of anxiety disorders, depression, alcohol and drug abuse.

Samara, my daughter was like a bear in the morning. Being my cute and funny self, I would say, boy do you need a cup of coffee. She'd give me the face and the eye roll. In those days she couldn't stand the smell of coffee. She had a hard time falling asleep. I guess so overstimulated from the entire day. 12 midnight, she could still be tossing and turning, so by the morning you can just imagine. Unlike most of her girlfriends though, Sam got dressed with the speed of light. She may be moaning and groaning but she did it literally in 15 minutes. She could just roll out of bed. But don't even try to have a conversation. Oh no, that would not be in Mommy's, my best interest. The great thing about teens is that they get older, go to college, graduate and have an apartment in the city, get a job and get to work early and on time all on their own! Yep that's Sam at 22, so proud of her!

Ok so what's a stressed out parent of a stressed out teen supposed to do?

TIPS

• Get a conversation going from the time they are little about self care, well being and self love
• Connect them to their urgency to be immediate with their friends and that is not always in their best interest
• Let them know that you want them to be safe, and alert especially in the morning
• Tell them how much you love them every single day. Can't say it enough!