Adults may live longer, more successful lives with less sleep, but adolescents need their rest. The Sleep in America Poll has revealed what many parents probably already know: American teenagers can't keep their eyes open.

The sleep deprived statistics look like this:

• Only 20 percent of children between 11 and 17 get the nine hours of sleep recommended during the school week, while 45 percent get less than eight hours.
• About 30 percent of adolescents doze off in class at least once a week and 14 percent are regularly late to classes because they over-sleep.
• Sleep-deprived students are more likely to get poor grades, while 80 percent of those who get a solid night's sleep receive good or excellent grades.

According to experts at the Sleep Foundation, these numbers represent a significant reduction in teens' nightly sleep as they graduate from middle school to high school.

"This is particularly troubling as adolescence is a critical period of development and growth - academically, emotionally and physically," said Sleep Foundation President Richard Gelula. "At a time of heightened concerns about the quality of this next generation's health and education, our nation is ignoring a basic necessity for success in these areas: adequate sleep."

I'm sorry to learn that that the teenagers in my life are so exhausted, but I'm glad to finally have a clear explanation for the Saturday afternoons I slept away when I was in high school. When children reach adolescence their circadian rhythms make them uncontrollably more nocturnal. Teens are predisposed to stay up late and sleep late the next day. Since most American high school students have to get to school by 7:30 a.m., fatigue is practically unavoidable.

You can learn more about teens and sleep here.

[via Mail and Guardian]

Image: Sleep Foundation