Teens' social life, not biology, may influence their sleep patterns, say researchers.
Researchers at the University of Cincinnati found that teens, whose parents monitor bedtimes, are more likely to get adequate sleep each night. The research also highlights that teens, whose friends are positive and are concerned about school, are also likely to get better quality of sleep.
"Given that children generally get less sleep as they become teenagers, parents should be ever more vigilant at this stage," said David J. Maume, study researcher and a sociology professor at the University of Cincinnati. "Teens who have pro-social friends, tend to behave in pro-social ways, which includes taking care of one's health by getting proper sleep."
For the purpose of the research, around 1,000 teens from the Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development were examined. All the children were between the age of 12 and 15. Researchers found that the average sleep time for teens was nine hours on a school night to less than eight hours during non-school nights.
The researchers also found certain links between sleep quantity and sleep quality, and some aspects of teens' lives. The research found that teens whose parents monitored their sleeping behavior were more likely to get better sleep. The study also revealed that girls were more likely to have sleep issues, when compared to boys.
The study also identified an association between increased computer use and decreased sleeping time. Moreover, the research also pointed out that increased TV time resulted in increased sleep issues within teens.
Family issues and friends association also affected sleep times of teens. The research found that teens whose parents split up, slept less and had more sleep-related issues, when compared to teens whose parents stayed together.
The research indicated that teens whose friends tried to do well in school and act in a socially positive way had less sleep disruptions.
However, some important aspects such as the time required by teens to get to school and usage of cell phones were not included in the study.
