Teen Years

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ABC’s and Zzzz’s

Sleep helps teens become smarter, healthier Also Teen Dating and Teen Cars

By Carol Daus

Rigorous classes, competitive after-school activities and early high school start times rob teens of much-needed sleep, causing daytime sleepiness and some sleep-related disorders that can lead to bad grades, irritability, depression and poor school attendance. Recent studies now link sleep deprivation to 2 other serious problems: mental impairment and obesity.

Dr. Paul Suratt of the University of Virginia studied the impact of sleep deprivation on student vocabulary-test scores, which are known to be the best single predictor of a child’s IQ and the strongest predictor of academic success. The shocking results revealed that the vocabulary differences associated with sleep disorders are equivalent to the IQ dissimilarities attributed to lead exposure. This correlation between sleep deprivation and academic performance is particularly noticeable in high school, when there is a steep drop in sleep.

More than 7,000 high school students in Minnesota were recently surveyed about their sleep habits and grades. Those who received A’s averaged about 15 more minutes of sleep than B students, who in turn averaged 11 more minutes than the C students.

“Many parents accuse their teens of acting like slugs, since they have a hard time getting started in the morning or appear tired in the afternoon,” explains Beth Cauffman, a developmental psychologist at UC Irvine. “The reason is clear: They’re not getting enough sleep.”

Cauffman adds that another problem for teens: They experience delayed sleep-wake cycles because their brains produce the sleep hormone melatonin later at night than it does in younger children and adults.

Researchers are also finding that reduced sleep can increase a teen’s obesity risk. A study by Johns Hopkins University found that with each additional hour of sleep, the risk of a child being overweight or obese dropped by 9%. Children with the shortest sleep durations had a 92% higher rate of being overweight or obese.

Despite frenzied schedules and teenage hormones that interfere with shut-eye, experts stress that parents can help their teens get more sleep by removing clutter from their bedrooms (cell phones, computer, TV, MP3 players), limiting caffeinated drinks and cutting out 1 or 2 extracurricular activities. fam

Talk to teens about dating

No subject causes more tension between parents and teenagers than dating. This discomfort causes some parents to even distance themselves from their teens when they start dating.

But the reality is that teens who start dating for the first time need their parents to provide guidance and boundaries related to dating and relationships, stresses Dr. Marilyn Maxell, contributing author of “Questions Kids Ask About Sex: Honest Answers for Every Age.”

Maxwell believes that talking with children about relationships is something that should start long before the first date. It’s particularly important to discuss the qualities that truly matter in a relationship, such as shared values, mutual respect, easy conversation and shared interests.

“Conversations about relationships and sex should occur over many teachable moments,” Maxwell says. “To really get through to kids, parents need to provide consistent and regular messages about their expectations, wishes and goals for the child.” fam

Best car for your teen?

Car ownership may be a rite of passage for teenagers, but it can also be a source of conflict. Nine times out of 10, a parent’s choice of car for their teen is not what their son or daughter envisions. Teens want flashy sports cars or sleek SUVs, while parents prefer big, safe sedans. With motor vehicle crashes being the leading cause of death for people 15 to 20 years old, it makes sense that parents stress safety over style.

“The reality is that most parents cannot afford new cars for their teens, and most understand that the safest cars are usually mid-size sedans that don’t particularly excite teenagers,” says Elaine Beno of the Automobile Club of Southern California. “Large SUVs, large pickup trucks and high-performance cars are not good choices for teens.” Most teens drive cars that are at least 7 years old, and many drive models that are 12 years or older. Are these the safest cars for teens already at risk for car accidents?

“Choosing a car for your teen is a big decision,” stresses Beno. “Parents need to determine if certain safety features are available in older cars, such as front and side airbags, automatic transmission, anti-lock brakes and traction control.”

To learn about the safety record of a possible car for your teen, visit safercars.gov and enter the make/model. Crash test results and specific safety features are listed for most cars. fam

Carol Daus is an award-winning contributing writer to Inland Empire Family Magazine.

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