Puberty brings a ton of changes to a young person’s life, but now we have evidence that the changes children experience in their sleep between the ages of 11 and 12 can happen sooner than the usual physical changes in adolescence. In a study in the journal Sleep, researchers reported that:
• As they approach puberty, kids’ ability to fall asleep was delayed by 50 minutes, and total sleep times were reduced by 37 minutes.
• Girls slept better than boys.
• Aside from the biological changes happening that can affect sleep, psychological issues related to school demands, social activities, and technological distractions can lead to the development of bad sleep habits.
Having a deeper understanding of the interrelationships between sleep and puberty may provide new insights into where our adolescents can be vulnerable for both behavioral and emotional health problems.
Indeed, the more we know about a young person’s developing sleep habits, the better we can support optimal habits for a lifetime of good nights.
Puberty brings a ton of changes to a young person’s life, but now
we have evidence that the changes children experience in their
sleep between the ages of 11 and 12 can happen sooner than the
usual physical changes in adolescence. In a...
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Dr. Michael Breus answered:Puberty brings a ton of changes to a young person’s life, but now we have evidence that the changes children experience in their sleep between the ages of 11 and 12 can happen sooner than the usual physical changes in adolescence. In a study in the journal Sleep, researchers reported that:
