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According to a new poll, nearly half of United States parents say their teens experience regular sleep problems, with many believing that too much screen time is to blame.

The C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health at the University of Michigan questioned 1,018 parents with at least one child aged 13 to 18 years old on their child’s sleep habits, asking what they think may be causing sleep disturbances.

Nearly half of the parents (43 percent) reported that their teens have problems falling asleep at night or wake up in the night and struggle to get back to sleep.

Of these parents, around 25 percent said their teens experienced these sleep problems one to two nights per week, and 18 percent reported that their teens struggle with sleep three or more nights per week.

As to what is causing sleep disturbances, using electronic devices like social media was the number one reason given by parents, reported by 56 percent of those surveyed.

Homework and other activities causing irregular sleep schedules was the reason given by 43 percent of parents, while 31 percent say teens worrying about school is affecting their child’s shut-eye, and 23 percent say it is due to worrying about their social life.

Many parents added that they have tried a number of different strategies at home to improve sleep, including reducing caffeine intake in the evening, turning off electronics and cell phones at bedtime, and natural or herbal remedies, which were also the top recommendations given when parents consulted a doctor about their child’s sleep problems.

More than a quarter of parents (28 percent) also reported that their teens used some type of medication to remedy the problem.

“Parents whose teens continue to have frequent sleep problems, despite following recommendations for healthy sleep hygiene, may want to talk with a health care provider, particularly when considering which type of medication to try,” says poll co-director Sarah Clark, M.P.H. “Inadequate or disrupted sleep can have long-lasting health effects that go beyond moodiness and irritability for teens.”

“Sleep-deprived teens may have difficulty concentrating in school and those who drive have an increased risk of auto accidents. Inadequate sleep has also been linked to health problems ranging from obesity to depression,” added Clark. JB

Teens’ sleep quantity and quality may affect their cardiovascular risk