According to a new study by the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, teens that get less than eight hours of sleep on
school nights are more likely to smoke, drink and fight and
engage in other risky behavior. “Lack of adequate sleep can be a
warning sign for parents that their teens have other problems,”
the study’s lead author told Reuters on Monday. Published online
by the Preventive Medicine Journal from CDC, the study is
believed to be the first large national survey of its kind. In a
survey of more than 12,000 teens, 68.9 percent reported that
they sleep less than eight hours on an average school night.
According to the study, in 10 of 11 categories, the students
that slept less were more likely to engage in risky behavior
than other students who slept more than eight hours on school
nights. These behaviors include smoking cigarettes and
marijuana, and drinking alcohol. According to the survey
findings, sleep-deprived teens are not only more likely to
engage in risky behavior but also more likely