Sleep-deprived high school students are three times more at-risk
for depression compared to their peers. Researchers report most
teens in the U.S. do not get sufficient sleep. The AASM
recommends teenagers need more than nine hours of sleep per
night. Findings suggest more than half of high school students
are excessively sleepy during the daytime. Students average
about six hours of sleep on school nights and eight hours on
weekends. A consistent parental-set bedtime of 10 p.m. or
earlier reduces the risk for depression. Depressive symptoms are
likely for teens with bedtimes past midnight. Some experts
advocate pushing forward school start times to allow teens to
sleep longer. Regular screenings at school for sleep deprivation
and depression may also benefit students. The study looked at
student sleeping habits at a typical public high school in New
Jersey. More than 250 high school seniors participated in the
survey. Students took the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, a commonly
used sleep disorder assessment. Scor