Summary

Research has found that teenagers should be getting eight to ten hours of sleep every night. But many are sleeping far less than that and nearly one in four also suffer from insomnia. William Brangham reports on why it's so hard for so many teens to sleep, and why it's taking a toll on their mental health. It’s part of our ongoing series, Early Warnings: America’s Youth Mental Health Crisis.

For a transcript to read alongside as you watch the video, click here.

News wrap alternative: Check out recent segments from the NewsHour, and choose the story you’re most interested in watching. You can make a Google doc copy of discussion questions that work for any of the stories here.

Five Facts

• What are some of the factors contributing to the sleep deprivation among American teenagers?
• Where is the connection between technology use and sleep loss in teenagers?
• When did California make a change in public high school start times?
• Why is sleep so crucial for the mental health of teenagers?
• How do experts suggest parents can help their teens get more sleep?

Focus Questions

Do you think you get enough sleep? If not, what steps do you think you can take to try to get more sleep? What are some of the effects on your physical and mental health? Did you agree with details from the story about what you could do to get better sleep?

Media literacy : Where can you go if you are struggling with mental health?

Alternative: See, Think, Wonder: What did you notice? What did the story make you think? What story would you want to find out more about? Where would you go to learn more?

For More

What students can do: Discuss with a friend, neighbor or classmate — in your opinion, what do you think parents/guardians need to do to take steps to prioritize and improve the sleep and mental well being of teenagers? Do you think schools and local/state government has a supportive role to play here? Explain.

Also, check out this lesson which discusses anxiety in kids:

Link to lesson.

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