Technology affecting teen sleep
06-04-2012
You’d have to have been living in a cave for the last decade or so to not realise that technology, especially smart phones, computers and gaming devices, are having a massive effect on teenagers. It is uncommon to see a teenager these days who isn’t glued to their phone and doesn’t have speakers in their ears. Teenagers these days are surrounded by high tech devices and unsurprisingly, this profusion of technology is starting to impact on their lives.
One area that is being significantly affected is sleep. While traditionally people went to sleep in dark and quiet rooms with little or no distraction, the modern teen will often go to sleep listening to their iPod, texting or watching TV. These habits are not conducive to a good night’s sleep and a number of studies have shown that there are widespread sleep disorders amongst teens which can be linked to their nocturnal technological habits.
The teen years are a critical period in physical and mental development and sleep is especially important during this time. That is why it is vital that parents talk to their teens about their technology use at night. Putting simple and sensible rules in place is a good idea, as long as you explain why you have made them.
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