Show Notes

"Generation Sleepless--Why Tweens and Teens Aren't Sleeping Enough and How We Can Help Them" is a mouthful of a title but Heather Turgeon and Julie Wright have a lot to say when it comes to the sleeping habits of our youth.
In an interview with Steve Tarter, Julie Wright explains that sleep is just as important to teens as it is to babies.
One of the points made in "Generation Sleepless" is that, whether due to extracurricular activities or routine school schedules, almost half of U.S. public high schools start at 7 a.m.
The problem is that they may not allow students who stay up late enough sleep. That could affect performance, note the authors.
The Minnesota state medical association states that there's an "erroneous societal concept that sleep is negotiable, rather than a biologic imperative."
And sleeping in on Saturday won't necessarily prove productive. It can come back to steal sleep from a young person later on, said Wright.
"Sleep stealers" are cited in the book as well as ways to wind down at night in order to assure a good night's sleep.