Let them hit snooze: Sleeping in helped teenagers cope with pandemic stress, study finds
A groggy, grumbling 16-year-old stumbles out of bed after a long bout of hitting the snooze button. School starts at 8 a.m. sharp; like a zombie, he shuffles to his first class of the day, bleary-eyed and undercaffeinated.
It’s a teenage stereotype we’re all familiar with.
But how might things change if that teenager were given the opportunity to sleep in? What would happen if going to school meant walking to the kitchen table, not the bus?
These questions were explored in a new McGill study that analyzed how studying from home during the COVID-19 pandemic influenced the sleep habits of adolescents.
The study, published in the journal Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health, found that teens were better rested during the pandemic — a finding which the study’s lead author found rather surprising.
“We thought they would sleep less or [would] be suffering in their sleep, but they actually slept longer,” said Dr. Reut Gruber, who is a psychiatry professor at McGill.
Researchers assessed the sleep patterns of 62 adolescents from January 15 to March 13, 2020, and then from May 15 to June 30, 2020, when the pandemic was in full swing.
The study found that the bedtime and wake-up time of teens shifted by roughly two hours.
According to the study, teenagers typically have what’s called a delayed biological rhythm, meaning they have a natural tendency to fall asleep and wake up at later hours.
Gruber explains that the elimination of a morning commute allowed students to follow the cues of their “biological clocks.”
In addition to this, fewer social obligations and extracurricular activities meant teenagers weren’t required to sacrifice their sleeping hours to catch up on homework.
SLEEP, THE ULTIMATE STRESS-BUSTER
The pandemic was undoubtedly an anxiety-inducing time for many teenagers.
“This has been a major challenge, the high levels of stress, the mental-health challenges,” said Gruber.
But the study found that by getting extra rest, teens were more equipped to deal with the stress of COVID-19 — a finding which should encourage schools to modify school start times, according to Gruber.
“Why don’t we do something to make sure that we protect their sleep?” she implored.
As it turns out, that grumpy, sleep-deprived teenager might be feeling high levels of stress and anxiety that could be mitigated by some extra Zz's.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
DEVELOPING Hamas accepts Gaza ceasefire proposal from Egypt and Qatar
Hamas said it has accepted a ceasefire deal proposed by Egypt and Qatar, which seeks to halt the seven-month war with Israel in Gaza, prompting Israel to say it would send a delegation to negotiate – though it warned the proposal remained far from the 'necessary requirements.'
An American soldier was arrested in Russia and accused of stealing, U.S. officials say
An American soldier has been arrested in Russia and accused of stealing, according to U.S. officials. The soldier was stationed in South Korea and was in the process of returning home to the United States, but travelled to Russia.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Competition Bureau launches inquiry into Lululemon over 'greenwashing' allegations
Canada's Competition Bureau has launched an inquiry into Vancouver-based Lululemon following a complaint from members of an environmental group.
NDP calls out Conservatives for effort to quash pharmacare legislation
The federal New Democrats are calling out Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and his party for trying to block the bill that could pave the way for millions of Canadians to access birth control and diabetes coverage.
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Democratic Institutions Minister Dominic LeBlanc tabled legislation in the House of Commons on Monday proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada. Bill C-70 proposes to enact a new 'Foreign Influence Transparency and Accountability Act.'