Sleep Study: How Sleeping Problems Affect Teens Performance

These days teens often look like adults, and we tend to forget that their bodies are still "under construction". As a result, teens need much more sleep than most get.
You think they've gone to bed while you sleep, but often your teen is watching a video, talking on the phone and texting their friends past midnight. And then they have to be up for a 7 AM bus--that’s going flat out for 14-18 hours a day and trying to get by on less than 6 hours of sleep! This causes an imbalance in the sleep center of their brains.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that over 100,000 auto accidents are caused by inattention due to fatigue. 50% of those accidents involve teenage drivers. Poor concentration and slower reflexes can mean early death at the worst and at the least, falling grades. It is impossible to study and retain information when your mind is tired and the sleep center of the brain is out of balance.

Make it a rule to turn off the tv, video games, etc., at least 30 minutes before bedtime. Ask your teen to turn off the cell phone. If that does not work, take the phone away over night.