Health

8 in 10 teens aren’t getting enough sleep, says National Sleep Foundation: ‘Deeply concerning’

Published

2 years ago

March 12, 2024

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8 in 10 teens aren’t getting enough sleep, says National Sleep Foundation: ‘Deeply concerning’

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Teens should be getting between eight and 10 hours of sleep every night, experts say — yet a vast majority of them are falling short.

The 2024 Sleep in America Poll from the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), which is headquartered in Washington, D.C., found that 80% of teens don’t get enough sleep — and the typical teen scored a failing grade of “F” in terms of practicing healthy sleep behaviors.

Teens also reported that when they get insufficient sleep, their mental and emotional health suffers.

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The poll compiled sleep data from a variety of indexes and questionnaires conducted by NSF, as well as the PHQ-9 (patient health questionnaire) to gauge teens’ depressive symptoms.

Here’s a deeper dive into the issue.

Teens should get between eight and 10 hours of sleep each night, experts say — yet a vast majority of them are falling short. (iStock)

Why are teens so sleep-deprived?

Teens face many challenges in getting a healthy amount of sleep, according to Dr. Joseph Dzierzewski, PhD, vice president of research and scientific affairs at NSF, who was one of the researchers working on the study.

“Those [challenges] include school schedules and demands, extracurricular activities, social commitments, employment responsibilities and the constant lure of electronic content, to name a few,” he told Fox News Digital.

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School demands and activities are one of the biggest sleep blockers, the poll found.

Teens are nearly half as likely to get the recommended eight to 10 hours of sleep on school nights compared to weekends, and they are more than three times as likely to be dissatisfied with the amount of sleep they get on school nights compared to weekends.

Link between sleep and mental health

There is a two-way connection between sleep health and mental health, Dzierzewski noted.

“Poor sleep health can lead to depressive symptoms, and depressive symptoms can lead to poor sleep health,” he said.

Teens are nearly half as likely to get the recommended eight to 10 hours of sleep on school nights compared to weekends, a new study found. (iStock)

Teens who don’t get the recommended amount of sleep on school nights, who have difficulty falling or staying asleep, or who are dissatisfied with their sleep have higher levels of depressive symptoms, the poll found.

Dr. Zaid Fadul, the Arizona-based medical director at Better U, an online mental health provider, said he’s struck by the “clear connection” between sleep health and mental well-being in teenagers, which he said he’s observed in his own practice.

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“It’s deeply concerning that such a significant portion of teens are not getting the sleep they need, which undoubtedly impacts their academic performance, emotional health and overall quality of life,” Fadul, who was not involved in the NSF findings, told Fox News Digital.

Lack of sleep can contribute to feelings of sadness, hopelessness and disinterest in activities once enjoyed, the doctor noted.

It can also affect concentration, decision-making, and memory, leading to decreased academic performance and increased stress.

Teens should prioritize slumber with a consistent, relaxing wind-down routine while keeping a regular sleep schedule, an expert said. (iStock)

Mood swings often come with poor sleep, Fadul said, as teens may experience more irritability, short temper and emotional volatility.

“Studies have also shown a link between sleep problems and suicidal ideation among adolescents,” Fadul warned.

Tips for teens to improve sleep

The NSF recommends six small steps that can have a big impact on nighttime sleep.

During the day, teens should get some bright light, especially in the morning.

They should also exercise regularly and eat meals at consistent times daily, Dzierzewski said.

During the evening, teens should avoid caffeine and heavy meals before bedtime.

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They should also prioritize sleep with a consistent, relaxing wind-down routine while keeping a regular sleep schedule, Dzierzewski said.

In addition, teenagers should put devices away before bed and sleep in dark, quiet and cool spaces, according to the NSF’s guidance.

Families, schools and entire communities all play a part in supporting the sleep health of young people, Fadul noted.

“In my view, parents must be proactive in creating environments conducive to good sleep and in establishing routines that encourage healthier sleep habits, such as reducing screen time before bed,” he said.

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“Moreover, I firmly believe that schools and community programs must align to promote better sleep practices among teenagers, potentially revisiting policies like school start times to better accommodate teens’ biological clocks.”

If sleep problems persist, an expert recommends speaking with a health care provider to explore possible underlying causes and treatment options. (iStock)

Sleep should be prioritized in the public health agenda, Fadul said.

“Health care professionals, educators and policymakers must unite to elevate sleep’s priority,” he said.

“As both a clinician and a parent, I see the urgent need to rethink our approach to teen sleep health, ensuring that it’s treated as the foundational aspect of mental well-being that it truly is.”

If sleep problems persist, Fadul recommends speaking with a health care provider to explore possible underlying causes and treatment options.

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Health

The Best Time To Drink Coffee for Weight Loss and a Faster Metabolism

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7 hours ago

February 27, 2026

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The Best Time To Drink Coffee for Weight Loss and a Faster Metabolism

The Best Time To Drink Coffee for Weight Loss and Fat Burn | Woman’s World

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Health

‘SuperAgers’ stay mentally sharp well past 80, as scientists reveal the reason

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8 hours ago

February 27, 2026

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‘SuperAgers’ stay mentally sharp well past 80, as scientists reveal the reason

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Stat of the week

More than 59% of women may have high blood pressure by 2050, according to a new report from the American Heart Association.

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This article was written by Fox News staff.

Health

Heart disease threat projected to climb sharply for key demographic

Published

20 hours ago

February 27, 2026

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Heart disease threat projected to climb sharply for key demographic

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A new report by the American Heart Association (AHA) included some troubling predictions for the future of women’s health.

The forecast, published in the journal Circulation on Wednesday, projected increases in various comorbidities in American females by 2050.

More than 59% of women were predicted to have high blood pressure, up from less than 49% currently.

The review also projected that more than 25% of women will have diabetes, compared to about 15% today, and more than 61% will have obesity, compared to 44% currently.

As a result of these risk factors, the prevalence of cardiovascular disease and stroke is expected to rise to 14.4% from 10.7%.

The prevalence of cardiovascular disease and stroke in women is expected to rise to 14.4% from 10.7% by 2050. (iStock)

Not all trends were negative, as unhealthy cholesterol prevalence is expected to drop to about 22% from more than 42% today, the report stated.

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Dr. Elizabeth Klodas, a cardiologist and founder of Step One Foods in Minnesota, commented on these “jarring findings.”

“The fact that on our current trajectory, cardiometabolic disease is projected to explode in women within one generation should be a huge wake-up call,” she told Fox News Digital.

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“Hypertension, diabetes, obesity — these are all major risk factors for heart disease, and we are already seeing what those risks are driving. Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, eclipsing all other causes of death, including breast cancer.”

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for women in the U.S. and around the world. (iStock)

Klodas warned that heart disease starts early, progresses “stealthily,” and can present “out of the blue in devastating ways.”

The AHA published another study on Thursday revealing one million hospitalizations, showing that heart attack deaths are climbing among adults below the age of 55.

The more alarming finding, according to Klodas, is that young women were found more likely to die after their first heart attack than men of the same age.

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“This is all especially tragic since heart disease is almost entirely preventable,” she said. “The earlier you start, the better.”

Children can show early evidence of plaque deposition in their arteries, which can be reversed through lifestyle changes if “undertaken early enough and aggressively enough,” according to the expert.

Moving more is one part of protecting a healthy heart, according to experts. (iStock)

Klodas suggested that rising heart conditions are associated with traditional risk factors, like smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity and a sedentary lifestyle.

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Doctors are also seeing higher rates of preeclampsia, or high blood pressure during pregnancy, as well as gestational diabetes. Klodas noted that these are sex-specific risk factors that don’t typically contribute to complications until after menopause.

The best way to protect a healthy heart is to “do the basics,” Klodas recommended, including the following lifestyle habits.

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Klodas especially emphasized making improvements to diet, as the food people eat affects “every single risk factor that the AHA’s report highlights.”

“High blood pressure, high blood sugar, high cholesterol, excess weight – these are all conditions that are driven in part or in whole by food,” she said. “We eat multiple times every single day, which means what we eat has profound cumulative effects over time.”

“Even a small improvement in dietary intake, when maintained, can have a massive positive impact on health,” a doctor said. (iStock)

“Even a small improvement in dietary intake, when maintained, can have a massive positive impact on health.”

The doctor also recommends changing out a few snacks per day for healthier choices, which has been proven to “yield medication-level cholesterol reductions” in a month.

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“Keep up that small change and, over the course of a year, you could also lose 20 pounds and reduce your sodium intake enough to avoid blood pressure-lowering medications,” Klodas added.

“Women should not view the AHA report as inevitable. We have power over our health destinies. We just need to use it.”

Angelica Stabile is a lifestyle reporter for Fox News Digital.