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Broad influences including school start times, activities, and screens lead to sleep disturbances for teens.

Poor sleep is linked to mental and physical health problems.

Parents can help by encouraging physical activity, a regular sleep schedule, and no screens in the bedroom.

The evidence clearly shows that modern society creates a perfect storm of sleep disturbances for teenagers. Shifts in circadian rhythms during puberty, early school start times, academic pressure, and pervasive technology use all contribute to poor sleep among teens.

The problem is getting worse, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association by researchers at the University of Wisconsin, Columbia University, and the University of Connecticut. The study combines data from nearly 121,000 high school students who participated in the national Youth Risk Behavior Survey.

In 2023, the survey found that 75 percent of teens reported getting less than eight hours of sleep per night, up about 8 percentage points from 2007.

More worrying, though: more than........

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