The Physical, Social, and Psychological Influences on Adolescent Sleep Patterns and the Resulting Implications
The Physical, Social, and Psychological Influences on Adolescent Sleep Patterns and the Resulting Implications
The Physical, Social, and Psychological Influences on Adolescent Sleep Patterns and the Resulting Implications
Extensive research has illustrated that biological changes associated with the onset of puberty in adolescents alters patterns of sleep. This biological change is associated with a shift in the circadian rhythm linked to sleep. Pubescent changes in the circadian rhythm are characterised by a decrease in the onset of melatonin at night which in turn causes a sleep-onset delay. This delay causes adolescents to be biologically “programmed” to sleep at later times of the night. Although sleep-onset delay occurs in adolescents; their need for sleep does not lesser, but rather increases. This causes day-time sleepiness. However, many adolescents do not gain their required sleep each night for a variety of reasons: social and family commitments; school and casual work obligations; psychological and/or physiological problems; and issues related to chronic-partial sleep deprivation. These issues have a greater impact as individuals’ progress through to later adolescence (students in year 12) due to increasing demands on students at this stage of their education. Solutions to these problems must be achieved to ensure optimal performance at an academic level: such as allowing older secondary school students to commence school at a later a time than students in year 7, who are burdened by fewer expectations and pressures. The sleep patterns of adolescents (considered by society to be aged 12 to 20 years) significantly vary from those of other age groups; resulting in many parents of adolescents being under the perception that their son or daughter merely becomes “lazy” upon the onset of puberty. This is not the case. The commencement of puberty causes biological changes that cause an impact on sleep patterns. These changes are
The Physical, Social, and Psychological Influences on Adolescent Sleep Patterns and the Resulting Implications
Extensive research has illustrated that biological changes associated with the onset of puberty in adolescents alters patterns of sleep. This biological change is associated with a shift in the circadian rhythm linked to sleep. Pubescent changes in the circadian rhythm are characterised by a decrease in the onset of melatonin at night which in turn causes a sleep-onset delay. This delay causes adolescents to be biologically “programmed” to sleep at later times of the night. Although sleep-onset delay occurs in adolescents; their need for sleep does not lesser, but rather increases. This causes day-time sleepiness. However, many adolescents do not gain their required sleep each night for a variety of reasons: social and family commitments; school and casual work obligations; psychological and/or physiological problems; and issues related to chronic-partial sleep deprivation. These issues have a greater impact as individuals’ progress through to later adolescence (students in year 12) due to increasing demands on students at this stage of their education. Solutions to these problems must be achieved to ensure optimal performance at an academic level: such as allowing older secondary school students to commence school at a later a time than students in year 7, who are burdened by fewer expectations and pressures. The sleep patterns of adolescents (considered by society to be aged 12 to 20 years) significantly vary from those of other age groups; resulting in many parents of adolescents being under the perception that their son or daughter merely becomes “lazy” upon the onset of puberty. This is not the case. The commencement of puberty causes biological changes that cause an impact on sleep patterns. These changes are