America's Teens Are Sleeping Less Than Ever

Teenagers are turning out the lights later than ever, and a massive new study says the problem is getting worse. Researchers at the University of Minnesota analyzed survey data from more than 400,000 US students in grades 8, 10, and 12 collected between 1991 and 2023 and found sleep is steadily shrinking across all age groups, reports the Guardian. Per a release, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends teens get eight to 10 hours of sleep per 24-hour period. Just 22% of older teens now report getting at least seven hours a night, however, according to the new research.

Lead author Rachel Widome cites long-standing pressures like homework, jobs, and social life, plus newer forces: constant screens, social media, the pandemic, and broader social stressors. The study, published in the journal Pediatrics, also flags widening disparities: Black and Latino teens and those with less-educated parents are increasingly less likely to get sufficient shut-eye. Not enough rest is tied to poorer mental health, academic problems, and long-term physical issues.

While phones are easy to blame, the authors point to deeper burnout and isolation: Separate teen-led research in California found about two-thirds of students feel burned out or anxious. Suggested fixes are structural, including delaying high school start times to 8:30am or later and carving out more time for sleep and coping skills. As Widome puts it, a chronically exhausted generation "is not inevitable."