Parents Often Give Teenagers the Wrong Sleep and Health Advice

You are mistaken about how teenagers sleep, say Harvard-affiliated sleep health specialists as a new school year gets underway.

Experts in adolescent sleep were consulted for a study by Brigham and Women’s Hospital researchers to debunk common misconceptions. Following a survey of parents and other caregivers, researchers discovered that more than two-thirds of respondents regarded the top three most prevalent sleep myths to be true. These concerned the start hours of the schools, the safety of melatonin, and the results of weekends with irregular sleep schedules. The authors examine the prevalence of each myth and provide counterevidence to make clear what’s best for health in their latest research, which was just published in Sleep Health. 카지노사이트

As the corresponding author and a researcher in the Brigham’s Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders, Rebecca Robbins noted, “Adolescents face various barriers when it comes to sleep, some of which are physiological and others behavioral.” Robbins is also a professor at Harvard Medical School. Given these difficulties, it is imperative to remove any attainable obstacles that prevent young people from getting enough sleep. Our objective was to uncover prevalent fallacies regarding adolescent sleep in order to motivate future public education and outreach campaigns to advance views about the importance of sleep health that are supported by facts.

“Caregivers and teenagers frequently consult the Internet and social media for advice on subjects like sleep. Although these platforms have the potential to be sources of information backed by proof, it is possible that false information might spread there.

The researchers asked 200 parents and caregivers about the top 10 sleep myths that professionals had discovered. The following are a some of the widespread myths that Robbins and colleagues uncovered and dispelled:

• “Adolescents don’t mind staying up late on the weekends as long as they receive enough sleep during that time,”

About 74% of parents and caregivers concurred with this notion. However, the researchers point out that weekend sleep schedule variations, or “social jetlag,” might exacerbate sleep and do little to make up for lost sleep. The authors note research that suggests irregular sleep patterns on the weekends might result in poorer academic performance, riskier actions like binge drinking, and an increase in mental health symptoms.

• “Adolescents will stay up later if school starts later.”

Approximately 69% of parents and caregivers concurred with this notion. Robbins and colleagues mention multiple research demonstrating that postponing the start of middle and high school led to much more sleep, with extended morning sleep and little effect on bedtimes.

• “Because melatonin pills are natural, they are safe for adolescents.”

Most parents and caregivers—2/3—believed this urban legend. Longer-term studies on melatonin use are sparse, especially in regards to the supplement’s effects on puberty and development, despite the fact that it has become a popular supplement for adults and teenagers. Melatonin concentration in supplements varies greatly. Concerns concerning youth taking melatonin without a medical examination, supervision, or the use of behavioral treatments are also raised by the authors. A Look Back at the Humble Beginnings of Online Poker

The authors point out that their study only included a small number of parents and caregivers, and that subsequent research on a broader group of parents and carers may serve to clarify many sleep myths. Future research may include involve teens themselves as well as specialists from various nations and cultures.

Future studies should try to dispel misconceptions and advance fact-based understanding of teenage sleep, according to senior author Judith Owens, a doctor at Boston Children’s Hospital and a professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School.

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