Are your teens tired all the time?

[Anonymous]

My 16 year old dd complains that she’s tired a lot. She sleeps 10p-6a most days and 10-8:30 pm weekends. So although she isn’t getting 12 hours that some of her friends do on weekends, I suspect she’s getting more than they are during the week since she says they’re up till midnight or later most nights.

We eat decently healthy at home, a variety of produce, and she does eat meat and beans so I assume iron levels are ok.

I don’t remember being a teen. Is being tired normal?

[Anonymous]

Sorry. Weekends are 10:30pm-8:30am usually, can vary based on her social plans

[Anonymous]

I was tired all the time as a teen. I used to fall asleep after school a lot. My 15 year old is tired a lot. Sleeps til 10:30 on weekends. Growing takes a lot of energy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was tired all the time as a teen. I used to fall asleep after school a lot. My 15 year old is tired a lot. Sleeps til 10:30 on weekends. Growing takes a lot of energy.

Good to know. But if she has stopped growing physically, I guess her brain is still growing and changing. She’s not getting any taller I don’t think.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was tired all the time as a teen. I used to fall asleep after school a lot. My 15 year old is tired a lot. Sleeps til 10:30 on weekends. Growing takes a lot of energy.

Good to know. But if she has stopped growing physically, I guess her brain is still growing and changing. She’s not getting any taller I don’t think.

I’m not a scientist, but yeah, I think there’s a lot happening in there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was tired all the time as a teen. I used to fall asleep after school a lot. My 15 year old is tired a lot. Sleeps til 10:30 on weekends. Growing takes a lot of energy.

Good to know. But if she has stopped growing physically, I guess her brain is still growing and changing. She’s not getting any taller I don’t think.

I’m not a scientist, but yeah, I think there’s a lot happening in there.

Also want to add that the early morning start times during the week are a big factor, too. I think many of us noticed our teens way less tired when they were doing online school during Covid.

[Anonymous]

Early morning start times are cruel for teens who are wired to sleep later and wake up later.

My teens both have medical issues that make them more tired. The one with sleep apnea actually had to request an accommodation to skip first period. Luckily it didn't hurt him too much for college admissions, because he took as many AP courses as he could the rest of his day. The other has an auto-immune disease that comes with fatigue, that she will need to manage lifelong.

Maybe get a sleep apnea check? She can get a little machine that straps to one finger while she sleeps at home, and the doctor will determine based on that whether she needs to do an overnight in a sleep clinic.

[Anonymous]

No, which is crazy to me. They are very busy and wake up at 6, sometimes back at 7 after school and sports and will still go to the gym most nights. They go to bed at 10pm so I think that does help a lot.

[Anonymous]

I feel like the only time mine isn’t tired is when she wants to hang out with friends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, which is crazy to me. They are very busy and wake up at 6, sometimes back at 7 after school and sports and will still go to the gym most nights. They go to bed at 10pm so I think that does help a lot.

Wow, that is impressive!

[Anonymous]

Mine needs like 15 hours of sleep per day to act like a reasonable human being. He basically sleeps through the weekend.

[Anonymous]

Yes. Mine are exhausted. They collapse in naps after school. One has some health issues (iron), and a huge workload. My other kid goes straight to activity after school several days a week. She is burnt out also.

[Anonymous]

Yes! Glad we’re not alone.

[Anonymous]

Are you waking her up in the weekends? Mine get 8.5 hours during the week, but I let them sleep until they wake up naturally on days they don’t have anything going on (they play soccer, so looong days when in season).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel like the only time mine isn’t tired is when she wants to hang out with friends.

+1

And most tired when there are chores to do.