Sleep and Tenage Hormones

[Sienthal]

Note that I do not mean this to be a perverted topic...*Wayward glance at various boardmembers*

Well...After taking a look at a few articles at school, I've learned that apparently, hormones that enact physiological changes (Revolving primarily around sexual and growth changes) actually make teens have the need to go to sleep later, and the need to get up later as well. Hormonal Insomnia, if you will.

This, this kinda sucks since most schools (Mine included) have classes around 8:00 in the morning, when these hormone changes make their need to sleep appear around 11 or midnight...And classes are getting earlier.

A good deal of this information was also included on a pamphlet that gave teens "advice" on how to sleep better. It complained about the earlier classes, but later sleeping needs of teens, but then goes on to say, what I take to be, "But you must ignore what your body is telling you (For good health), and instead do this, this and this."

Any thoughts?

Also, aside my rant and hopefully interesting piece of information, I do have a question. Now, I've heard conflicting evidence for both sides, and I was wondering: Are naps good? In personal experience, when I have had a short, half-hour nap (Usually during a time I shouldn't have *Cough-2ndperoid-Cough*) I've awoken fairly refreshed, probably due to an adrenaline surge from the jolt awake (Enjoyable, too ) , but I'm better throughout the day. I've read that naps utilize the brain's best time for recuperation (0-2 hours of sleep) to help regenerate some of that lost energy.
However, I've also read that naps disrupt your internal sleep cycle, leaving you more tired later and/or more tired the next day. Finally, I've read that repeatedly using the "recuperation" period can be detrimental to your REM sleep, which is generally after the first period.

Any answers?

[Peregrin Toker]

FINALLY, I have an explanation for my occassional insomnia. (and if it continues older in my life, I'll just blame it on aliens!!)

[Lord Sauron-Tyranus-Vader]

Note that I do not mean this to be a perverted topic...*Wayward glance at various boardmembers*

Well...After taking a look at a few articles at school, I've learned that apparently, hormones that enact physiological changes (Revolving primarily around sexual and growth changes) actually make teens have the need to go to sleep later, and the need to get up later as well. Hormonal Insomnia, if you will.

This, this kinda sucks since most schools (Mine included) have classes around 8:00 in the morning, when these hormone changes make their need to sleep appear around 11 or midnight...And classes are getting earlier.

A good deal of this information was also included on a pamphlet that gave teens "advice" on how to sleep better. It complained about the earlier classes, but later sleeping needs of teens, but then goes on to say, what I take to be, "But you must ignore what your body is telling you (For good health), and instead do this, this and this."

Any thoughts?

Also, aside my rant and hopefully interesting piece of information, I do have a question. Now, I've heard conflicting evidence for both sides, and I was wondering: Are naps good? In personal experience, when I have had a short, half-hour nap (Usually during a time I shouldn't have *Cough-2ndperoid-Cough*) I've awoken fairly refreshed, probably due to an adrenaline surge from the jolt awake (Enjoyable, too ) , but I'm better throughout the day. I've read that naps utilize the brain's best time for recuperation (0-2 hours of sleep) to help regenerate some of that lost energy.
However, I've also read that naps disrupt your internal sleep cycle, leaving you more tired later and/or more tired the next day. Finally, I've read that repeatedly using the "recuperation" period can be detrimental to your REM sleep, which is generally after the first period.

Any answers?

I sometimes take naps, ususally when Im sick, and they always leave me feeling better and refreshed, even if it's only for 15 minutes. And no, it never seems to disrupt the sleep cycle.
Even if you are not tired at night, you body tells you to go to sleep.

[kheegster]

I'm 19, and I suffer from this phenomenon as well...back in high school I used to have to wake up at around 6am, but otherwise I could easily sleep until 11-12. My parents would get furious at this, saying that I could never be succesful if I don't discipline myself yadda yadda....but now that I'm living in university accomodations, I can see that virtually all of the other students are even worse than me in this aspect...there are several girls I know that sleep until late afternoon. Whether it's due to cultural or biological reasons I don't know, although I'd wager on a combination of the two.

KG

[TrailerParkJawa]

Ive thought about this issue too. I dont buy it yet, that its entirely biological that teens need to sleep late. It might be, but I think there are heavy cultural influences as well. Not to mention poor diet and excercise habits which also affect sleep.

As for me, Ive always been one to sleep later than earlier, BUT, if I get on schedule were I wake up early and go to bed early I do feel better.

I never took naps as a teen. If I did they made me feel worse. My senior year in High School was the the first time when I started to doze off in class. But thats cause I was staying up way to late at night. I take a nap every now and then as an adult, but I still dont feel better afterward. I wake up groggy.

[haas mark]

Well, now that I'm on Celexa, I may be getting more sleep. But we'll see.

[Crazy_Vasey]

Napping during the day kills me. Last time I tried it I felt weak and disorientated for hours. It totally fucks me up for some reason.

[data_link]

I personally take one 3/2 hour nap during school every day (that class never accomplishes anything). Seems to help a lot. But then, I have never had a regular sleep cycle, maybe I'm just used to it.

[Alferd Packer]

I typically sleep 3 AM-10AM, because 3AM is when I get tired. And I don't have any early classes. That really helps, heh.

[kojikun]

This was discussed on TLCs thing on Teens. Quite fascinating. If only they showed the IR scopes of boys getting hard like they do on the ones about adults >D

[BlkbrryTheGreat]

College is an a bad example to use in this case. If you wonder why its because alcohol is a natural seditive and when people drink alot of it they tend to sleep late the next day..... regardless of their age.

[Einhander Sn0m4n]

Another thing: What time does elementary school class start? 9 AM
What time does Middle School/High School Class start? As early as 7 AM (Mine was 7:20)! Add on the fact that most kids wake up an hour or two before class start depending on how long it is between the bus run and class start (I've seen this period last over an hour!) Plus ON TOP OF that, the Bus-To-Class gap tends to be longer in the high schools. Talk about optimization for MAJOR Insomnia trouble!

[Howedar]

One would think that a teen's sleep cycle would just shift over time to fit their schedule. God knows why it doesn't work that way

[data_link]

One would think that a teen's sleep cycle would just shift over time to fit their schedule. God knows why it doesn't work that way

Actually, He's just as baffled as you are.

[GrandMasterTerwynn]

Note that I do not mean this to be a perverted topic...*Wayward glance at various boardmembers* :twisted:

Well...After taking a look at a few articles at school, I've learned that apparently, hormones that enact physiological changes (Revolving primarily around sexual and growth changes) actually make teens have the need to go to sleep later, and the need to get up later as well. Hormonal Insomnia, if you will.

This, this kinda sucks since most schools (Mine included) have classes around 8:00 in the morning, when these hormone changes make their need to sleep appear around 11 or midnight...And classes are getting earlier.

A good deal of this information was also included on a pamphlet that gave teens "advice" on how to sleep better. It complained about the earlier classes, but later sleeping needs of teens, but then goes on to say, what I take to be, "But you must ignore what your body is telling you (For good health), and instead do this, this and this."

Any thoughts?

Also, aside my rant and hopefully interesting piece of information, I do have a question. Now, I've heard conflicting evidence for both sides, and I was wondering: Are naps good? In personal experience, when I have had a short, half-hour nap (Usually during a time I shouldn't have *Cough-2ndperoid-Cough*) I've awoken fairly refreshed, probably due to an adrenaline surge from the jolt awake (Enjoyable, too ) , but I'm better throughout the day. I've read that naps utilize the brain's best time for recuperation (0-2 hours of sleep) to help regenerate some of that lost energy.
However, I've also read that naps disrupt your internal sleep cycle, leaving you more tired later and/or more tired the next day. Finally, I've read that repeatedly using the "recuperation" period can be detrimental to your REM sleep, which is generally after the first period.

Any answers?

Yes, naps are a double-edged sword. They're a nice supplement to a fairly normal sleep pattern. But you don't want to substitute them for actual sleep (because you get more REM and deep sleep in real sleep.)

As an interesting sidebar, I recently read in New Scientist that those same hormone surges also impair a teenager's ability to sense the moods and emotions of others. The ability takes a nosedive and stays that way until about 18.

[Joe]

Naps are interesting. I've had the most bizarre dreams of my life while taking 2 hour naps.