Why Teens Need More Sleep and How Parents Can Help

When your teenager struggles to wake for school, another argument about bedtime may leave everyone frustrated. A more useful starting point is to ask what their night actually looks like: when they feel sleepy, what keeps them awake and how they feel during the day.

This guide is for parents, carers and teens planning together. It offers general sleep information and practical questions, not a diagnosis or treatment plan.

How much sleep do teens need?

The U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recommends 8–10 hours of sleep per day for ages 13–18. Individual needs vary within that guidance. If you are concerned that your teen sleeps too little or too much, talk with their doctor. See the NHLBI sleep-duration guidance.

During adolescence, the body clock commonly shifts later, so feeling sleepy later than younger children or adults can be normal. It does not give every teen an identical bedtime, and a later preference alone is not a diagnosis. Evelina London's teenage-sleep guide explains this timing shift.

Insufficient sleep can affect concentration, energy and mood, as the American Academy of Pediatrics describes in its advice on teen sleep difficulties. That does not mean every difficult day or falling grade is caused by sleep. Persistent emotional distress deserves attention in its own right.

Start with a conversation, not an assumption

Pick a calm moment and ask: “What is the hardest part of getting enough sleep right now?” Give your teen room to answer before proposing a rule.

Possible obstacles include a late activity, homework, worries, a noisy room, an early journey to school or wanting some personal time after a crowded day. A phone may be involved, but it need not be the only issue. Try describing one actual evening together, from arriving home to trying to sleep.

A useful follow-up is: “Which part could we change, and which part needs help from someone else?” If homework or activities repeatedly leave too little time, discuss the load with the school or relevant adult. You may not control the school timetable, but you can ask about support and explain what is happening.

Plan a sleep opportunity, not a compulsory result

Time in bed and time asleep are different. A schedule needs to allow for settling down and any waking during the night. A consistent, realistic routine is a useful aim; setting an earlier clock time does not guarantee that a teen can fall asleep then.

A fictional planning example: from 9:30pm to a required 6:30am wake time is a nine-hour window. If the teen falls asleep at 10pm and sleeps without waking until 6:30am, that is eight and a half hours asleep. Neither time is a prescribed bedtime. If the teen usually lies awake much later, the family needs to address that difficulty rather than count the whole window as sleep.

Look for a feasible change at either end: packing a school bag earlier, moving a chore, or discussing an activity that finishes too late. Repeated difficulty getting enough sleep is a reason to seek advice, even when the routine looks sensible on paper.

Make the evening easier to wind down

The AAP's teen sleep advice discusses overscheduling, evening screens, caffeine and relaxing activities. Start with changes that fit this teen and household:

• Agree on a screen break. The AAP suggests putting screens away at least an hour before bedtime. Discuss how to handle homework, accessibility tools and essential contact. Quieting non-essential notifications or choosing a charging place together can make the plan more workable.
• Check caffeine. It can interfere with sleep, particularly later in the day. Look together at coffee, tea, energy drinks and other sources. Ask the prescriber about medicine concerns; do not change prescribed medicines on your own.
• Choose something calming. Reading, quiet music or another activity the teen likes may suit the wind-down period. There is no need to buy a particular app or make relaxation another assignment.

For the room, aim for comfortable, reasonably dark, quiet and cool conditions. Start with what is already available: adjust existing curtains or bedding and discuss household noise. Expensive curtains, mattresses or gadgets are not prerequisites for trying practical changes.

Evelina London also recommends daylight during the day, particularly in the morning, and reasonably consistent sleep and wake times. These are supportive habits, not a promise of an instant reset.

A family sleep worksheet

Use this to record the teen's account of their sleep. Estimates are enough; the aim is to understand the pattern, not to police every minute.

• Required wake time: When do I need to get up, and why?
• Trying to sleep versus falling asleep: What are my best estimates of those times? Do I wake during the night?
• Obstacles: What tends to keep me awake or shorten the night?
• One evening adjustment: What is feasible, and who needs to help?
• One morning adjustment: Could preparing something earlier reduce the rush?
• Access and shared-space needs: What contact, assistive technology or household routines must the plan accommodate?
• Daytime experience: Am I struggling to stay awake, concentrate or manage the day?
• Questions for a clinician: What worries us, and what have we noticed?

Agree to revisit the plan together. If it is not helping, that is useful information, not evidence that the teen has failed. You do not need to complete a trial period before asking for help.

When to ask for medical help

Contact the teen's doctor about persistent trouble falling or staying asleep, substantial daytime sleepiness, or concerns about sleeping too much or too little. Mention snoring, gasping or observed breathing pauses. The NHS sleep-apnoea guidance identifies breathing pauses, gasping and marked daytime tiredness as reasons to seek assessment. These observations do not establish a diagnosis on their own.

Bring the teen's perspective and any useful notes. Ask what might be contributing, whether further assessment is needed and what support is appropriate for their age. Treatment depends on the cause; an online checklist cannot choose it or predict how quickly it will work.

If considering melatonin, discuss it with the teen's clinician first. In the UK it is prescription-only, and specialists sometimes prescribe it for children, according to NHS information on melatonin. Supply rules differ elsewhere; this is not a suggestion to try a dose independently.

The next conversation can be simple: “I want us to understand what is making nights difficult. What would you like help with first?” A shared plan can address practical obstacles while leaving room for professional support when needed.