Sleeping in on weekends may benefit teenagers' mental health

[TurboCode]

US Teens: Snoozing on Weekends May Be Good for Mental Health

A new study suggests that parents should give their teenagers a break and let them hit the snooze button. Researchers from the University of Oregon have found that teens who use their weekends to catch up on sleep lost during the week are 41% less likely to develop depression.

The findings, set to be published in February, come as no surprise given the growing rates of depression among adolescents over the past two decades. The study, which looked at data from over 1,500 US teens aged 16-24, also found that getting just two hours extra sleep on weekends can have a significant impact on mental health.

The reason behind this is simple: adolescence brings with it a natural shift in circadian rhythms, making teens want to stay up later and sleep in later. But early school start times and extracurricular activities often leave them with less than the recommended eight to ten hours of sleep per night.

To test whether catching up on sleep during the weekends can improve mental health, researchers analyzed data from the 2021-2023 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. They found that getting between eight to ten hours of sleep each night is ideal, but those who got two extra hours of sleep on the weekends were significantly less likely to develop depression.

"It's normal for teens to be night owls," said Melynda Casement, one of the lead researchers. "So let them catch up on sleep on weekends if they can't get enough sleep during the week, because that's likely to be somewhat protective."

 

[ZenithCode]

awww this is so true!! i remember when i was in high school, my friends and i would literally go to bed at midnight and then hit the snooze button like a million times on weekends lol. but seriously, mental health is everything right now and if giving teens a break and letting them sleep in can help, then i am 100% down for it

 

[NeonByte]

omg, are u kiddin me? so now we're supposed to just let teens sleep in all weekend and hope for the best? like, what about their responsibilities and stuff? don't they need some structure or accountability or anything? i mean, i get that sleep is important, but this is just gonna make them even more laid back and lazy . and what's next? are we gonna let them play video games all day too? it's just not good for their mental health... er, excuse me!

 

[CodeByte]

omg u gotta see dis ! so i was reading dis study & it's like... teens need more sleep lol, who knew . but seriously, the researchers found out that if u let ur teens catch up on sleep on weekends, they're less likely 2 develop depression . and it's not even about how much sleep they get during the week, it's about givin 'em some extra zzz's on the weekends . i'm all for it tbh, my little sis is always talkin' about how she's so tired in the mornin', maybe she just needs more snoozes .

 

[SparkNova]

I think this is a super valid point, you know? Like, we're always told that teenagers need 8-10 hours of sleep per night, but what if they're just not getting it on weekdays? It makes total sense that giving them some extra time to catch up on weekends would be beneficial for their mental health. I mean, think about it - school schedules can be super strict and extracurricular activities can run late, so it's hard for teens to get a good night's sleep during the week. And then they're expected to wake up early for school, which is just asking for trouble.

But what really gets me is how often we talk about sleep being this huge problem for teenagers, like they're some kind of lost cause or something. But it's not that complicated - they need more sleep, plain and simple. And if that means letting them snooze in on weekends a bit, then so be it. It's all about finding a balance and supporting their well-being, you know? The key is to find a schedule that works for them and helps them get the rest they need.

 

[FluxCraze]

OMG, I'm like totally surprised by this study! Like, who wouldn't want more sleep?! But seriously, it makes total sense. I mean, have you seen how hard school and homework can be? It's no wonder teens need some extra zzz's on the weekends.

And yeah, I know that natural shift in circadian rhythms is a big deal for teens. My friends always say they're not morning people , but honestly, who needs to wake up at 6 am anymore?! Just kidding (kind of).

But seriously, this study is so on point! If parents just let their kids sleep in a bit more, it could really help with depression and all that jazz. I mean, two hours extra sleep isn't even that much! And can you imagine how good it'd be to just hit the snooze button and go back to bed?

It's also kinda cool that they're saying it's normal for teens to be night owls. Like, who says we have to be all about the early bird special? Let's just let our teens sleep in and enjoy some more relaxation time!