Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Teenage Brain and Sleep

In a adult human brain, the body clock is on for about 16 hours a day. The body switches off for around 8 hours and we fall asleep.

With younger children the pattern varies by age. Babies sleep for nearly 12 hours but by 9 and 10 years they reach adult pattern of sleep.

Research shows that teenagers, till they reach 20 years old need 9 1/2 hours of sleep a night. (Dr. Mary A. Carskandon, of Brown University and EP. Bradley Hospital Providence, Rhode Island)

When your body clock switches off, the brain produces a hormone called melatonin that makes you sleepy.

If a teenager goes to bed late then they are having a short fall in their sleep requirement due to late homework and early school hours.

Is it really beneficial to sleep early as a teenager?
3000 Rhode Island teenagers were tested on their sleep habits. Those with most sleep got As and Bs and the rest got Cs and Ds.

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