Many parents battle with their teenagers to get them to wake up earlier. Commonly, if left to their own devices, teens naturally gravitate to a stay-up-late/sleep-in-late schedule. Teenagers actually require 8 ½ to 9 ½ hours of sleep every night to function at full capacity. Many teens experience a huge sleep deficit, particularly during the school year. Your Celina, TX dentist, Dr. Newton, explains why burning the midnight oil and sleeping through breakfast is attractive to teenagers, and why we should be aware of potential sleep apnea issues.
Teenage Wiring
High school start times are generally quite early. In order for a teenager to bank the kind of sleep they need to feel properly rested, they would generally need to be asleep by 9pm. Of course, most teenagers would fight the idea of such an early bed time. They may have more of a point than just their pride, however. Circadian rhythms start to change in the teen years. As our children grow older, melatonin starts prime production later and later. Melatonin is the brain hormone that makes you want to fall asleep. So staying up to watch The Late Show isn’t just a matter of them seeing their favorite band perform. They may not be able to help staying up.
OSA and Teens
High school is a very stressful time in life. Teenagers are dealt a great many demands as they prepare for higher education. Extracurricular activities, sometimes tumultuous friendships and romantic relationships, and surges of hormones can all lead to a kind of pressure cooker for teenagers. We allow that our stresses in adult life might cause insomnia. Teenagers are really no different. Obstructive sleep apnea is not incredibly common amongst teenagers, but it does happen. In a society that has had great struggles with maintaining healthy weight over the years, issues that are linked to obesity and stress are being seen more often. OSA is such a condition, and can be very serious. Teenagers that have enlarged adenoids or tonsils are also at high risk for OSA.
Sleep Apnea Help from your Celina, TX Dentist
If you are in need of sleep apnea help, contact your Celina, TX dentist at our 75009 dentist office by calling (214) 851-0130.
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