Teens who get less than 8 hours of sleep each night are more likely to be overweight or obese and are more likely to have excess fat around the middle, high blood pressure, abnormal blood fats and blood sugar levels. In short, the less a teen sleeps the more likely they are to be overweight and unhealthy. These findings were underscored by a study of 12 to 16 year olds done in Spain and reported at the August 2022 European Society of Cardiology.
When short sleepers were compared to adequate sleepers, the teens who got the least sleep were 72% more likely to weight too much. Boys tended to get less sleep than girls. Sleep, by itself, was an independent factor in health. In this research study, what the teens ate and their activity level could not override the negative effects of lack of sleep.
The researchers noted that lack of sleep during teenage years is a global problem and they encouraged parents to be consistent with bedtime and limit screen time in the evening.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends 9 to 12 hours of sleep for 6 to 12 year olds, 8 to 10 hours for 13 to 18 year olds.
