Snooze Science
How many hours of sleep do teenagers need each night, according to the CDC?
8-10 hours
According to sleep research, what percentage of teenagers get enough sleep on school nights?
25%
What is it called when a biological shift in the teenage brain causes melatonin to be released later at night, making it harder to fall asleep early.
Delayed Circadian Rhythm
What is blue light?
This type of light from phones, tablets, and computers
This slow-moving creature can sleep for up to three years without waking, making it the ultimate procrastinator of the animal kingdom.
A snail
This is the stage of sleep where your eyes move rapidly and most vivid dreams occur.
REM Sleep
What mental disorders are associated with chronic sleep deprivation?
Anxiety OR Depression
True or flase, Teenagers get the most previous sleep in the mornings
True
What does blue light do to your melatonin levels?
It suppresses melatonin production and tricks your brain into thinking it's daytime.
Humans spend what portion of their lives sleeping?
30%
What is melatonin?
This hormone is the body's natural "sleepiness" signal and is released in the evening when light decreases.
True or False: Currently 1/6 of students in America get the recommended 8-10 hours on a school night.
True
If a teenager is woken up at 6am, what does this feel like relative to an adult's sleep?
4am
Scrolling through social media before bed can trigger which stress hormone, making it harder to fall asleep even if you're physically tired.
Cortisol
What is unihemispheric sleep?
Dolphins and certain whales can sleep with only one half of their brain at a time using this type of sleep, allowing them to keep one eye open for predators.
What happens in non-REM sleep (or deep/slow-wave sleep)?
Your brain consolidates memories and "replays" the day's learning to store it long-term.
Why is driving whilst sleep deprived dangerous?
Sleep deprivation can impair someone's cognitive performance and decision-making to the same level as being drunk, according to research.
If a student starts school at 8:30am, what time does it feel like for the student?
6:30am
What is academic stress-induced insomnia?
This phenomenon, common in students before major exams or deadlines, creates a vicious cycle where stress prevents sleep, which then worsens anxiety and academic performance.
This is the world record for the longest time a human has gone without sleep, set by Randy Gardner in 1964.
11 days
What is growth hormone?
This is the hormone primarily released during deep sleep that helps with physical growth, muscle development, and tissue repair in teenagers.
Beyond mood and memory problems, chronic teenage sleep deprivation has been linked to which two metabolic health conditions that are increasingly common in adolescents?
Diabetes and obesity.
According to Wendy Troxel, melatonin is typically released at this time of night in teenagers, not earlier in the evening.
11pm
The half-life of caffeine (the time it takes your body to eliminate half of it) is approximately this many hours, which is why drinking coffee at 3 PM can still disrupt sleep at 10 PM.
5-6 hours
What is this called: grogginess and disorientation you experience when suddenly woken from deep sleep is called this — it's caused by your brain being in sleep mode while your body is forced awake?
Sleep Inertia