Cindyg Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Over the Thanksgiving break, my 15YO son slept 14 hours a night (11:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.). On a normal school day, he gets approximately 8 hours of sleep. On weekends, probably 12. And he's exhausted all the time. Is this normal for a growing boy (young man)? Is it possible that something is wrong? Is this symptomatic of anything I should think about? ETA: He doesn't eat well (serious sensory issues), takes appropriate supplements, is not athletic, and is thin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 My ds16 sleeps 10 - 11 hours a night. There are no mental issues that I can see beyond his OCD. He is bright and alert all day but starts lagging about 4 hours before he goes to bed. I don't know how long he has been doing this but I know he hasn't always been this kind of a sleeper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 It 'could' be a growth spurt. My BIL grew 6 inches in one year as a teen. He said it was painful and exhausting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy in NH Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 I think 10 is average, but 12 is within normal limits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 I think 10 is average, but 12 is within normal limits. I agree. My 12 year old boy needs 12. If he has less for several days he has to play catch up which I've read is not the best thing to do...consistant sleep is very important. I often wonder how in the world he would function in public school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 It 'could' be a growth spurt. My BIL grew 6 inches in one year as a teen. He said it was painful and exhausting. I just realized the connection....my ds12 is on track to grow that much in one year! Wow, no wonder he needs so much sleep. He is now officially taller than me. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangermom Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Yeah, I'm thinking he's growing. My husband says that for a long time in high school, he would go to school, come home and sleep, get up and do his homework, and then go to bed. He was tired all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasRachel Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 My understanding is that teens and infants need the most sleep. So yes, I think it's probably on the high end of normal. I'd push for him to get more sleep for a while and see if there's a difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unicorn. Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 My dc's nuerologist says teens should get a minimum of 12 hours, and thinks 14-15 is ideal. So, I would say normal. Dd 1 will sleep 12-14 hours if we let her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lolly Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 When my ds sleeps that long, he wakes up longer than when he went to bed. Literally longer, like an inch or two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindyg Posted November 28, 2012 Author Share Posted November 28, 2012 Wow. So interesting. Thanks, y'all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechWife Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 That amount of sleep sounds fine to me, maybe even a little more during the week if possible, since he is still tired. I've never understood why people are concerned about an otherwise healthy teen sleeping. People feel better when they are well rested, no matter what their age. I remember my dad used to wake me up on the weekends & during the summer - I remember it well. It did nothing but aggravate me and make me cranky. If you don't think that he's healthy, then work with him to address the problem - try to get him to identify what's going on and then troubleshoot ways to handle it. You'll likely know if a visit to the doctor's office is in order. Do keep in mind that sleeping/exhaustion is a symptom of depression, which is more common in teens than many realize. If you think that's the case, make sure to seek treatment for that as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 I think that making time for lots of sleep is a good idea. It may or may not come. Calvin is in bed by 9.30 on week nights and gets up at 7.15, so potentially just under ten hours. Some nights he will read though. He doesn't seem tired. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyGrace Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 My dd12 (13 next month) has never been a huge sleeper but for the last 6-8 months she is sleeping 12 hours some nights. Every night she goes to bed at 8 p.m. and usually gets up at 7-7:30 but a couple mornings it has been 8:30 or even 9:15! I know she is healthy, and not lazy, so if she is sleeping, she needs it, and I don't wake her. She is having huge growth spurts-physically, emotionally, spiritually, etc. I'm so glad she is able to get the sleep she needs! I remember being constantly exhausted at that age. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 I think my dd does better when she gets more sleep. She's less cranky and easier to be around. It also helps that the rest of us don't have to put up with drama and attitude for so many hours a day. What's NOT to like? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasider Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 My 17yo college kid sleeps like that when he comes home on the weekend. I know he is putting in lots of study time during the week, though. As my teens get older I do notice that every now and then they will have sleepy weekends. I let them sleep, because there aren't any other red flags. If your son seems depressed, if it seems suddenly out of character or if there are any other issues, that would be worth keeping an eye on. But I agree with the others that it's probably just due to teenage growth patterns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmos Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Yeah, I'm thinking he's growing. My husband says that for a long time in high school, he would go to school, come home and sleep, get up and do his homework, and then go to bed. He was tired all the time. I was going to say the same thing. My dh tells me he did this in high school. The 14 hours over vacation might not represent how much he needs. It probably reveals a long-term sleep deficit. I think there's no doubt that the 8 hours he's getting now isn't enough. But you might find that if he got 10 hours regularly, he wouldn't need the 12 and 14 hour nights very often. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarinesWife Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 I read Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child when we were struggling with our then 2 year old. The chapter on teens is great. We started letting our then teen sleep longer in the mornings and it really helped her in lots of ways! She lost weight, her acne cleared up, she was happier, easier to be around, etc. She slept approx 10-11 hours each night. Our current only teen, age 14, sleeps 10 hours and I think she'd like more. Trying to convince her to go bed earlier. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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