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A new study (yes, ANOTHER one), shows that middle school and high school teens whose parents let them stay up past midnight during the week are 42% more likely to be depressed than teens whose parents enforce a 10pm or earlier bedtime, and 30% more likely to have had suicidal thoughts within the past year. Columbia University researchers found depression rates of 25% and 20% for teens that stay up past midnight and those that are in bed by 10pm, respectively. The findings are based on surveys conducted from 1994 to 1996, and it is thought that the rates of depression and suicidal thoughts are even greater today among teens who stay up late, largely due to a plugged-in, 3G lifestyle.
The article goes on to emphasize the importance of getting enough sleep, but frankly I think this entire study is missing the point. This study is not about teens who go to bed early versus those that are night owls, it’s about parents setting ground rules for their kids. Parents who set no curfew for their kids probably don’t set a ton of other rules, either. Teens complain that rules suck, but at the very least they indicate that the parents are involved and care about them. Parents who fail to set rules may be seen by teens as parents who don’t care and aren’t concerned about their safety and health, and if teens make such an interpretation, it’s no wonder they’re more depressed.
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This is another “no shit.” Try going to school on 3 hours sleep and see how happy you are.
Exactly.
yeah, but curfew doesn’t equal bedtime.
My parents enforced a 9:00 bedtime all the way through middle school, then I went to a boarding school where lights out was 10:30. Though my roommates sometimes didn’t go to bed at lights out, I almost always did, and it helped my performance in school, my health, and my mental well-being immeasurably. Curfew may not equal bedtime, but it’s certainly a step in the right direciton, and at least then it’s the kids’ fault and not the parents’ if they don’t get enough sleep.
Unfortunately going to be early isn’t an option when you’re a chronic insomniac. The worst is working nights, your body and mind suffer horribly from the reverse schedule.
I know what you’ve mean. I’ve had insomnia since I was young. It wouldn’t have mattered if my parents chained me to bed at 8 pm. And insomnia and depression are definitely linked.
I’ve actually adored working nights. It’s the one time when my schedule actually fits my internal sleep schedule. If I had my way, I’d always be up all night and sleep half the day.
Exactly. Correlation doesn’t prove causation.
I have read quite a few articles/studys etc, proving that teenagers have a messed up sleep pattern.
When you are a teenager for some reason your brain is out of sync with the conventional (arcadian?) sleeping pattern. when a teenager says they’re not tired at 11pm, they’re telling the truth (of course some would be lying to stay up later, but the majority are not tired at this time).
This is why many people are lobbying for later starting times at high schools, or at least for the senior years (10, 11, 12).