US Teen Sleep Hits Record Low, With Only 22% of Older Teens Getting 7 Hours
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · May 15
US Teen Sleep Hits Record Low, With Only 22% of Older Teens Getting 7 Hours
6 articles · Updated · The Guardian · May 15
Only 22% of older US adolescents reported sleeping at least seven hours a night, as a University of Minnesota study found record-low sleep levels across every teen age group.
More than 400,000 students in grades 8, 10 and 12 were tracked from 1991 to 2023, showing sleep and perceived rest both fall steadily with age, with the sharpest declines among older teens.
Black and Latino teens and adolescents whose parents have less education are falling further behind on adequate sleep, widening gaps the study says have grown over time.
Screens, social media, pandemic-era stress and academic pressure were cited as likely drivers, while researchers warned chronic sleep loss is tied to exhaustion, poorer school performance, mental health problems and later illness.
An 8:30 a.m. or later high school start time is among the structural fixes researchers recommend, arguing current schedules clash with adolescent circadian rhythms.
Beyond screens, what is driving the alarming rise in teens getting less than five hours of sleep nightly?
If later school start times are the solution for tired teens, what is holding so many schools back?
A Generation Underslept: 77% of U.S. Teens Face Sleep Deprivation (2023–2026)
Overview
Between 2023 and 2026, a majority of American teenagers are not getting enough sleep, creating a widespread public health crisis. In 2023, 77 percent of high school students failed to get adequate rest, showing how common this problem is among youth. This lack of sleep is not just a minor issue—it has real, harmful effects on teens, especially those already at risk for mood disorders like depression. A main cause is the heavy use of technology, especially screens in bedrooms, which keeps teens awake late into the night and disrupts healthy sleep patterns.