Episode 218: Sleep Deprived Teens Suffer Mentally & Physically - How To Help

The Better Behavior Show with Dr. Nicole Beurkens

My guest this week is Lisa Lewis.

In this episode, Lisa and I discuss sleep deprivation in teens. This is an epidemic that is rampant in our culture. The “sleep when we are dead” mentality is a public health issue and the negative effects are evident! Teens, specifically, are not getting enough quality sleep and it's something that most adults don't recognize as a significant driver of the physical and mental health issues we are seeing on a steep rise. Although you may be thinking the sleep conversation is a never-ending losing battle with your teen, or a “lost cause” because of school and extracurricular set schedules, we are here to say that isn’t so! The good news is there are actionable steps we all can (and need to) take to address sleep deprivation in the home, school, and community to protect our adolescents’ and teens’ mental and physical development. We first discuss the current landscape and research on the detrimental effects of sleep deprivation and then we move into current success stories while giving many practical tips along the way.

Lisa Lewis is the author of The Sleep Deprived Teen: Why Our Teenagers Are So Tired and How Parents and Schools Can Help Them Thrive, described as “A call to action” by Arianna Huffington, and “An urgent and timely read” by Daniel Pink. The book is an outgrowth of her previous work on the topic, including her role helping get California's landmark law, unhealthy school start times, passed. Lewis has written for the Washington Post, the New York Times, The Atlantic, and many others. She's also a parent to a teen and a recent teen, and lives in California.

Connect with Lisa Lewis:

• Insta: @LewisLisaL
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LewisLisaL/
• Website: www.lisallewis.com
• Twitter: @LewisLisaL

Episode Takeaways

Introduction to Lisa Lewis & Later School Start Time Legislation … 00:01:20

Negative Health Impact on Early School Start Times … 00:05:56

Early School Start Times and Teen Accidents … 00:12:37

Research on Teens’ Mental Health Suffering with Sleep Deprivation … 00:15:35

How Much Sleep Should Teens Be Getting? … 00:20:00

Technology Addiction & Sleep … 00:22:38

3 Main Ways Tech Affects Sleep … 00:27:26

How to Initiative Later School Start Time in Your Community … 00:30:44

Rampant Mental Health Problems for Youth … 00:38:52

Resource & Episode Wrap Up … 00:41:45

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