Gadgets blamed for teens' lack of sleep

We've seen gadgets blamed for increased violence, the fall of contemporary art, and even broken hearts, but the latest study to pin more blame on the gizmos we simply can't do without purports that teens are missing out on crucial sleep thanks to their gadget addictions. According to a recent report by The Sleep Council, "gadgets in bedrooms such as computers and TVs are fueling poor quality 'junk sleep,' and considering that nearly a quarter of respondents "admitted that they fell asleep watching TV, listening to music, or with other equipment still running more than once a week," it's not too hard to understand how the conclusion was drawn. Nevertheless, it was suggested that these electronics were hindering kids' ability to get the recommended eight hours of sleep each night, but hey, when (most) free nights begin at 9:00PM, how can ya blame 'em?

[Thanks, Joel]

[Chris Macdonald @ Aug 28th 2007 8:27AM]

1st comment

[Nicholas @ Aug 28th 2007 10:12AM]

Asshat.

[Anthony @ Aug 28th 2007 11:00AM]

Yes- you did. & you were right to do so.

[Chris Macdonald @ Aug 28th 2007 11:02AM]

maybe i oughtta just shut up

[Drew @ Aug 28th 2007 8:31AM]

Parents blamed for teens' gadgets

[uberfu @ Aug 28th 2007 8:34AM]

can I blame Engadget for my lack of sleep too ?

[Grizz @ Aug 28th 2007 8:40AM]

Dammit, beaten.

[Andrew @ Aug 28th 2007 9:16AM]

Yeah, same.

[Evan @ Aug 28th 2007 8:35AM]

The gadget that hinders sleep the most: light bulbs.

[oshean @ Aug 28th 2007 4:14PM]

Headline news! Scientists discover that waking up is the leading cause of lack of sleep.

[Jan @ Aug 28th 2007 8:35AM]

In my case it's more "EnGadget blamed for teens' lack of sleep" ^^
Must...sleep...but..have to get...lastes....gadget news....have to...stay awake..
:-D

[Karl Viklund @ Aug 28th 2007 8:36AM]

Ok so we should put the Gadgets in Jail or what?

[g.Park @ Aug 28th 2007 8:37AM]

I remember reading in Scientific American a few years back that the reason teens lose sleep is biological.

Apparently throughout adolescence, your circadian rhythms shift, so that you can't really fall asleep until after 1am, and need to sleep for 9-10 hours, instead of the normal 8. But when you're in high school, your day starts at 6 or 7, so most teenagers are only getting 5 hours of sleep on a weeknight anyway, regardless of their technology.

[AlexP @ Aug 28th 2007 8:42AM]

I have to disagree, if it weren't of myself spending ridiculous amounts of time playing games or designing websites while I was in high school I'd be in bed at around ten.

It's either TV (I used to be a news monger) or spending time on the computer, for me. Hot lovin' doesn't last long enough for it to matter.

[g.Park @ Aug 28th 2007 8:54AM]

I did the same thing in high school, games, AIM, TV, comics, whatever. But the reason I stayed up so late was simply because I couldn't fall asleep at 10. I could have been in bed by 10, but I would have been laying there, tossing and turning.

I think kids stay up late with their games and gadgets because they can't sleep, not the other way around.

[teej @ Aug 28th 2007 9:12AM]

good post. for the most part, i agree. however, there's always going to be those few times they do keep you up ;-) every now and them, i have those days where i'm about to go to bed, then i end up checking out websites and shit even though i'm more tired than Roseanne on a treadmill.

[paul34 @ Aug 28th 2007 10:09AM]

Yup, exactly. The way the education system is set up is quite counterproductive indeed.

[g.Park @ Aug 28th 2007 10:23AM]

Counterproductive to the extreme.

Young kids (until about 10 years old) can get up at 6am no problem, in fact it's easier for them. Yet they start class at 9 or 10. Teenagers, who would wake up naturally at 8 or 9, instead have to wake up at 6 or 7.

So why not flip it? Why not make the grade school kids start early? I actually asked this question in high school, and the only answer I got was: sports. If the high school day started at 10 and ended at 5, practices and games couldn't start until 5:30 or 6, and wouldn't end until 8 or 9. Apparently that's a giant hassle for everyone involved, so instead high schoolers get screwed with a schedule that is beyond counterproductive. GO TEAM!

[Anthony @ Aug 28th 2007 10:46AM]

Also- studies time after time say that homework does not help kids learn faster/better, etc.

So- ditch the homework & maybe kids will have more time to sleep after reading up on Engadget news of the day.

[ark_v2 @ Aug 28th 2007 8:55AM]

It might be ridiculous...but they are right in part :D. but fall of modern art? lol, I'm an artist and I don't like it becuse it's simply not my type.

[fred @ Aug 28th 2007 10:00AM]

OH how the times have changed. I remember the things that kept me awake, and they weren't gadgets! Ok, I wanted to mkae you think maybe it was girls, but in fact, I was a nerd. It was totally books. READ A BOOK!

[Rob @ Aug 28th 2007 9:51AM]

What else is new. It's always been that way. Why do they waste money on studying the obvious?
I used to stay up late watching The A-Team, Knight Rider, and many other shows when I was a kid. Now Today I just use my dvr to record CSI. I got to get up early in the morning.

Come on, tell me something I don't know. I hate ridiculous "studies" like this. I wonder how much money they got from the government to waste on this.

[Sunny Man @ Aug 28th 2007 10:09AM]

In my honest opinion, it's not television or video games. Sure they probably contribute somewhat but the abundance of school work, social worries and biological issues is the main culprits.

[Anthony @ Aug 28th 2007 10:48AM]

Social worries?

Don't they have myspace to keep that from happening?

[Sunny Man @ Aug 28th 2007 1:56PM]

MySpace fuels more worries than it does quash them.

[Loonie @ Aug 28th 2007 10:34AM]

Oblivion blamed for my lack of sleep

[ummm @ Aug 28th 2007 11:06AM]

As a teen, I'd blame liquor and that fun stuff for my lack of sleep. That and having to go to classes.

[Hollywood Ron @ Aug 28th 2007 11:27AM]

I think there's some truth to this study.

Last night, when I was trying to go to sleep, my cell phone flew off the table and broke itself against the side of my head. Then my computer used its various peripherals to ensnare me while trying to put its input where it didn't belong.

If it wasn’t for my faithful friend the toaster, well… I don’t know what might've happened to me.

-----
Ron
http://www.flektor-blog.com

[TheWakeUpCall @ Aug 28th 2007 12:09PM]

Atm I am on summer holiday so I don't have school, so I goto bed at 3am and wake up at 1pm, that's what, 10 hours sleep. I'm a teenager! I get 10! lol.

When im at school though I goto bed about half one and wake up at 7am, so that's 5 and half hours sleep? Oh god. This thing is right!

[Charlie @ Aug 28th 2007 10:06PM]

How about we teach kids self-control and responsibility then blaming gadgets. I know how to turn off my devices before 11:00 so that I get a full night of sleep.

[joshfsho @ Aug 28th 2007 12:24PM]

ohhh good thread here. And I would like to say that, as a teen, what g.Park said (both times) is pretty much exactly right. Its not that we cant go to sleep because medias there, is because ALL OF OUR FRIENDS are also up at that time, and the phone minutes are finally FREE. why would you be asleep at 1 when everyone you know is on AIM, Myspace or their cell phone?

point is, its our endless desire to socialize that screws up sleep. this whole internet thing is kinda crazy

[G @ Aug 28th 2007 12:32PM]

during high school I had to wake up at 6.30am every day and got home around 7pm every day, I stayed up late so I could feel like I didn't spend my whole life at school. Maybe school contributes just a tiny bit to teens' lack of sleep?

[Jay @ Aug 28th 2007 1:08PM]

I had stuff I wanted to do as well, BUT MY PARENTS MADE ME GO TO SLEEP......

[duff @ Aug 29th 2007 5:43AM]

Scientist have said you live longer if you only have 4 to 6 hours sleep a night, so in a way this is good

[ChrisG @ Aug 28th 2007 2:57PM]

well I'll admit i'm addicted to both my sidekick and laptop. But i think the main cause is time management. For instance, when teens like me come home from school we have tons of hw then add shower time and dinner, you end up using ur gadgets kinda late.

[immer_ohne_gott @ Aug 28th 2007 6:28PM]

does "falling asleep while gadgets are running" include passing out on your keyboard after a night of booze-fueled LAN-partying? If so, consider me guilty. VERY guilty.

[D. @ Aug 28th 2007 9:18PM]

I can see that. I fall asleep to my iPod every single night without fail.

[sleepdoctor1971 @ Sep 2nd 2007 5:09PM]

This is all part of a spectrum with teens and sleep.

As a preface, it should be known that teens need more sleep than adults.

Compound that problem with the fact that most schools start early and require teens to wake up early.

Compound the problem with the fact that many teens have 'Delayed Sleep Phase' causing them to go to sleep later than 'normal adults'. They may also have other sleep disorders...

Info on sleep disorders and teen at:
http://www.sleepassociation.org/index.php?p=childrensleep
American Sleep Association

And FINALLY, compound that with the internet, gadgets, as referred to in this article, and cell phones, text msg etc...

When I was a teenager, we didn't have cell phones and text messaging. When I would try to sneak a call to my girlfriend everybody in the house would know it...because it was the one phone in the house.....

[getup @ Oct 23rd 2007 4:05PM]

I am trying to understand this late night thing, but staying up till 2 or 3 on a weeknite can only be harmful to your health. I agree with Charlie, and think it is a matter choice.