Staying up at night may have long-term negative effects on teenagers, as TIME reports that losing sleep at such an age may stunt their emotional and academic development.
Researchers from the University of California Berkeley worked with 2,700 teens between the ages 13 and 18 and found that a good 30 percent who regularly go to bed after 11:30 P.M. performed worse than early sleepers. Those between ages 14 and 16 suffered from school-related issues and felt emotionally distressed, and while those between 16 and 18 felt the academic impact less, they were more likely to show signs of depression.
What’s worrisome is that these effects persist even six to eight years later.
Researchers believe that the disruption of their internal body clocks is what is causing the imbalance. In order to counter the effects of sleep deprivation, experts recommend parents to encourage their children to create proper rest habits, which include a wind-down routine such as meditating, dimming the lights, and turning off electronic devices 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime.
(Photo by Carlos Perez via Flickr Creative Commons)
