The health care provider is seeing a 16-year-old boy at the local clinic. The guardian is concerned ...

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Adolescents need between 8 and 9 hours of sleep each night; however, the typical teenager gets about 7 hours of sleep per night. At a time when sleep needs actually increase, the typical adolescent is subject to a number of changes that often reduce the time spent sleeping, such as the time when school starts, after-school social events, part-time jobs, and extracurricular activities. The shortened sleep time in adolescents often results in excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), which can reduce performance in school, increase risk of accidents, increase the use of alcohol, and lead to behavior and mood problems. Sleep deprivation affects immune functioning, metabolism, nitrogen balance, protein catabolism, and quality of life. Saying, I don't get enough sleep either or You need to discuss this with the primary health care provider is not focusing on the guardian's question. Saying the boy will be fine is false reassurance.