Heavy Sleeping as a Teenager: Is it Normal?

When I was in high school, I had an alarm clock that was extremely loud. I was told it could be heard at the end of the street, about 400 feet away.

On more than one occasion I slept through it. Not woke up, then went back to sleep: I mean, straight, slept through it. Didn't wake up.

I usually slept well the night before. This was a time when smartphones didn't exist and the only electronic device (aside from the TVs) was the family computer, which was in a separate room. I was getting to bed early and sleeping a minimum 8 hours per night.

You probably remember sleeping this much in your teenage years (or your teenager is doing this now). So why does this happen?

Turns out, it's completely normal.

The human brain goes through incredible cognitive growth during those years. According to John Hopkins Medicine, teens need 9 to 9 1/2 hours of sleep each night, more than the consensus 8 to 8 1/2 that adults need. Of course there are some exceptions, such as those individuals who have a mutation in the DEC2 gene. But that is an exceptionally small number of people. For most teenagers, the extra sleep enables the incredible physical growth they go through.

So what can you do about it?

Allow sunlight to enter the bedroom. If you live in a part of the world where there is lots of sunlight early in the day (near the equator), this makes it a lot easier. I'm guessing if you're reading this, this isn't an option, especially in the winter. Luckily, you can make up for it by simulating an early sunrise with scheduled smart LED lights.

Getting to bed early is key. That means planning your day around a bedtime an hour earlier than normal. You'll have less time available, but you'll still get everything done if you use your time efficiently. Combine an earlier bedtime with a good lighting solution and you have a solid approach to starting the day strong.

Hope this helps. Until next time,

Verus Health

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/teenagers-and-sleep-how-much-sleep-is-enough

https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2019/08/415261/after-10-year-search-scientists-find-second-short-sleep-gene