More Than 76% of Adolescents Are Sleep-Deprived. Here’s How Parents Can Help Them Get the Rest Their Brains Need

At 8:42 p.m. and my house splits into two camps. On one: my 6-year-old is already asleep, starfished across her bed like she’s been training for this moment all day. My 9-year-old? Wide awake. Suddenly thirsty. Philosophical. Won’t stop talking. Urgently curious about whether astronauts sleep in space. I joke that I’m raising one elite sleeper and one future insomniac. But two new adolescent sleep reports released this week made that joke feel a little less cute and slightly concerning.

New research in JAMA finds that insufficient sleep among U.S. adolescents has increased significantly over the past 15 years. At nearly the same time, the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) released updated recommendations clarifying how much sleep teens actually need.

So, what gives?

Our kids are sleeping less, basically. And the consequences aren’t minor.

The Numbers Are Moving in the Wrong Direction

The JAMA research analyzed national survey data from 120,950 middle and high school students who reported how much sleep they get on an average school night. In 2007, 68.9% of students said they weren’t getting enough sleep. By 2023, that number had climbed to 76.8%.

That means more than three out of four adolescents are now sleeping less than the recommended eight to 10 hours on school nights.

Researchers have long linked insufficient adolescent sleep to higher risks of depression and anxiety, lower academic performance, increased risk-taking behaviors, and physical health issues. Adolescence is a period of intense brain development. Sleep is when memory consolidates, emotions regulate, and neural connections strengthen, after all. Chronic deprivation doesn’t just mean cranky mornings. It can affect long-term mental and physical health.

The study itself doesn’t assign blame to a single cause. But experts often point to a combination of early school start times, heavier academic loads, extracurricular schedules, social pressures, and increased screen use. There’s also biology. For instance, during puberty, teens’ circadian rhythms naturally shift later, meaning they don’t feel sleepy until later at night — even if the bus still comes before sunrise. In other words, teens are wired to fall asleep later, but the world around them hasn’t adjusted.

What Teens Actually Need

Right as those findings landed, the National Sleep Foundation released updated adolescent sleep duration guidance in the journal Sleep Health.

For teens ages 14 to 17, the recommended range remains eight to 10 hours per night. Younger adolescents (10 to 13) generally need nine to 11 hours.

Adequate sleep is associated with better mood regulation, stronger attention, healthier immune function, and lower cardio-metabolic risk.

Still, if your teen is averaging six or seven hours, you’re not alone. But the NSF emphasizes that frequent lack of sleep — not just the occasional late nights — is what raises concern.

Beyond total hours, the NSF’s guidance highlights a few key principles that parents can realistically apply:

Consistency matters. Big swings between weekday and weekend sleep schedules can disrupt circadian rhythms. A relatively steady window helps.

Wind-down time is crucial. The hour before bed should be lower-stimulation. That often means putting phones away earlier. We know it’s a tough sell, but it’s one backed by research on light exposure and emotional arousal.

Sleep isn’t optional. It’s not the first thing that should be sacrificed for homework, sports, or productivity. It’s foundational health.

Watch for warning signs. Persistent insomnia, loud snoring, excessive daytime sleepiness, or mood changes tied to sleep loss warrant a conversation with a pediatrician.

Both reports cite how normalized exhaustion has become for adolescents. Nearly 77% of adolescents aren’t getting enough sleep, so there’s a pattern.

What’s Actually in Parents’ Control?

We can’t change circadian biology. Most of us can’t change school start times. But small shifts can help. If your teen is getting six hours, jumping straight to 10 probably won’t stick. Moving bedtime earlier by 15 to 20 minutes per week is more realistic.

Look closely at what’s filling late-night hours. Is it homework volume? Activities ending at 9 p.m.? A phone that never powers down? Teens’ brains are wired for social reward. Expecting them to self-regulate group chats at midnight without guardrails isn’t realistic. And yes, modeling matters. If we’re scrolling in bed every night, they notice.

The National Sleep Foundation is clear about what healthy looks like. The question is whether families, schools, and communities can align around it.

Back in my hallway at 9:12 p.m., I’m still negotiating with my girls about closing their eyes. So tonight, I’ll hold the boundary. Not just because I need some quiet, but because their brains do, too.