The reasons behind teenage sleep patterns

Research has found that a lack of sun is disturbing the sleeping patterns of young people. Scientists say that teenagers who sleep in are not lazy, they are just not getting enough sunlight in the morning. Teenagers spend too much time indoors, and as a result of this they do not get enough natural blue light, particularly in the morning, which upsets their body clock.

The reason we need natural light is to produce melatonin, which is the hormone which signals to us when it is time to sleep. The American researchers said: 'As teenagers spend more time indoors, they miss out on essential morning light needed to stimulate the body's 24-hour biological system which regulates the sleep/wake cycle.’

The research carried out by America's Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's Lighting Research Centre also showed a link between the disturbance of teenagers sleeping patterns and teenagers struggling at school because they are too tired to concentrate. The leader of the study Dr Mariana Figueiro, said: 'These morning-light deprived teenagers are going to bed later, getting less sleep and under-performing on standardised tests.’

Other research shows that sleepless nights may actually shrink the brain. The science journal Biological Psychiatry reports that brain scans of adults with chronic insomnia found that they had less grey matter in areas that regulate the brain's ability to make decision and to rest. Cambridge University researcher Dr Ellemarije Athena added that it was unclear whether sleeplessness shrinks the grey matter, or if the changes are caused by lack of sleep.

US sleep expert Ronald Cramer said: 'This study suggests bad sleep is bad for the brain at a basic neurological level, not just a psychiatric nuisance.'

However lack of sleep is not just a problem for teenagers. A recent survey of 1,000 British schoolchildren aged between nine and eleven found that many were missing out on vital sleep as they were staying up late watching TV or playing on the computer.

Lack of sleep has been linked to problems with concentration and schoolwork, as well as bad behaviour and hyperactivity. The general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, Dr Mary Bousted, said that growing numbers of youngsters were starting school unable to hold conversations because they talk so little with their parents. Dr Bousted went on to explain that families are now living very separate lives with children as young as four spend hours alone watching TV in their rooms, even eating their dinner there.

Paul Gringrass, a paediatrician who runs the children's sleep clinic at Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital in London, said: 'Children aren't just little adults.  There's a huge amount of brain development that's going on and we know that even moderate sleep loss impacts on their ability to concentrate and behave the following day. Conditions like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder can manifest in children who simply haven't had enough sleep.’ Paul Gringrass also went on to explain that: 'There are certain hormones we produce more of when we've had a bad, disruptive night, which make us hungrier. And we have this obesity epidemic.  It's a vicious cycle.'

If you have trouble sleeping or want some tips for sleeping under exam stress, why not check out our Oy! advice pages for our suggestions to help you get a great nights sleep!