Roots Renewal Ranch Talks Teen Sleep Deprivation

Argyle, TX – Teens are under a lot of stress in this day and age. It often interferes with their sleep. Roots Renewal Ranch, a local mental health center for teenage girls, recently explored that topic in a blog. According to them, 80% of teens aren’t getting enough sleep – making sleep deprivation in adolescents a very necessary subject to discuss.

“When faced with a busy schedule, sleep is one of the first things people sacrifice – teens and adults alike. It’s hard to give up dwindling free time, but losing a couple of hours of sleep isn’t a big deal, right? Evidence shows that isn’t true. Sleep has a huge impact on cognitive function and health,” the blog claims. It then goes into further detail on areas sleep influences.

Roots first focuses on sleep’s impact on physical health. According to the blog, teens who sleep less have weaker immune systems and cardiovascular systems than adolescents who get adequate sleep. The article says there’s also an association between being overweight and not sleeping enough, and substance use. The blog then calls on adult readers to think of how they function at work when tired and compare it to how teens might feel in school, highlighting the difficulties sleepy adolescents face.

“There’s a common stereotype of stubborn teens staying up late to rebel against the bedtime they upheld as children, asserting their independence from their ‘cruel’ parents imposing rules upon them. While there are certainly teens this characterization applies to, the reason for sleep deprivation is usually more complicated than that,” the article continues. It next sheds light on exactly why teens might not get enough sleep.

One of those reasons is a busy schedule. The blog explains that between after-school activities, homework, part-time jobs, and much-needed relaxation time, teens have countless things to do. Electronic devices also play a role, if only due to the blue light they emit, according to Roots Renewal Ranch. “Screens naturally emit blue light, which interferes with the natural production of melatonin. Teens already produce melatonin differently biologically, so this added blue light delays melatonin release more and makes it even harder for them to sleep early,” they say. The article also points out the potential role of sleep disorders, even if they’re less likely in young people than adults.

The next topic of discussion is sleep’s influence on mental health. The blog cites multiple studies that suggest sleep and poor mental health have a cyclical relationship. One showed teens who sleep less are more likely to be diagnosed with depression and anxiety, and another that people are more likely to react emotionally to stress when sleep-deprived. “Depression can cause fatigue, and make teens want to sleep more, but it also disrupts sleep patterns and makes getting restful sleep hard. Teens with anxiety might experience more insomnia than the average teen, which takes away from the hours they could be sleeping, often despite their best efforts,” the article points out.

Roots Renewal Ranch then offers practical tips to parents to recognize sleep deprivation in their children, and what they can do about it. Signs of sleep deprivation include trouble waking up, oversleeping on weekends, dozing off, lacking focus, and irritability, according to the article.

When it comes to helping teens get more sleep, the blog emphasizes the importance of involving teens in the process, instead of trying to force them to get more sleep. It suggests collaborating with teens on freeing up time in their schedule so they can sleep more and setting a consistent bedtime. It also recommends shutting screens off an hour before bedtime, or at least utilizing blue light blockers for any teens on screens shortly before bed. Roots also suggests advocating for later school start times, allowing teens to get up later. “If you try all of these suggestions and your teen is still having trouble getting healthy sleep, it’s a good idea to see a doctor. They’ll have additional advice based on your teen’s medical history, and if they suspect a potential sleep disorder, they can refer you to a specialist,” the article encourages parents.

The blog closes by once again acknowledging the role mental health plays in sleep and recommends seeking treatment for teens with mental health concerns.

Roots Renewal Ranch is a residential treatment facility for teen girls, located in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. They offer specific training for aggression, trauma-informed therapy, and plenty of opportunities to decompress with and learn from the animals on the ranch. For more information, visit their website, or call them at 888-399-0489.

“Your daughter is strong. She is loved. She is enough.”