Adolescent sleep health: Recommendations from the National Sleep Foundation

Adolescent sleep is linked to indices of health and well-being, including academic performance, physical health, mood, and safety. However, biological, psychological, and social changes make it difficult for adolescents to obtain enough quality sleep. As a result, the percentage of adolescents who achieve optimal sleep has steadily diminished for decades. Reversing this trajectory requires a multipronged approach and involvement from numerous stakeholders, including adolescents themselves. To support this need, the National Sleep Foundation sponsored a multidisciplinary Adolescent Sleep Health Conference to identify recommendations to improve adolescent sleep health in the United States and beyond.

The 2022 Adolescent Sleep Health Conference convened 22 experts (educators, administrators, parents, advocates, researchers, clinicians, and an adolescent representative) to discuss evidence related to adolescent sleep health and its intersections with health, education, athletics, transportation, and the workforce. Final recommendations reflect those generated during the Conference and additional post hoc recommendations informed by extant literature.

Factors influencing adolescent sleep are present at individual, social, and societal levels. Societal factors such as school start times, entering the workforce, driving, and clock changes are linked to adolescent sleep. Improving adolescent sleep health involves integrating developmental science, family, and educational contexts into sleep health recommendations, implementing healthy school start times and adopting permanent standard time, increasing awareness of the impact on work and driving, and prioritizing sleep health equity.

Policy changes and prioritization across settings can increase the opportunity and likelihood of healthy sleep. Adolescents must be included as contributors to improving sleep health.