Your teenager needs around 8 to 10 hours of sleep a night, according to the Hirshkowitz (2015) panel recommendation.2 Being full of energy yet sleeping till noon isn't as odd as it looks. Puberty shifts sleep later, while early school starts cut it short. Repeated short nights build sleep debt. A long lie-in is no reason to label your teenager lazy.
Teen sleep in brief
Getting 8 to 10 hours of sleep can be difficult for your teenager when puberty pushes sleep later and school starts cut it short. That shortfall builds up over successive nights. A regular routine helps them get enough sleep. Keep their wake time consistent and agree with your teenager that phones stay away before bed.
Sleep timing often moves later during puberty
Your teenager usually isn't being difficult if they can't fall asleep at bedtime. Everyone has a body clock that helps them feel sleepy at night, but feeling ready for bed isn't something your teenager can force.
Puberty often moves your teenager's sleepiness later, so their childhood bedtime may come before they feel tired.
Meneo's 2025 review describes how sleep-wake regulation and sleep timing change during puberty.1 Your teenager will often feel sleepy later than they did as a child. Expecting them to stick to their childhood bedtime is asking a lot.
Staying up late on purpose makes the next day harder
Gaming into the night or pulling an all-nighter adds to your teenager's difficulty getting enough sleep. Even if they feel awake enough to carry on, deliberately staying up beyond their already later bedtime leaves them sleepier the next day. Feeling alert at midnight isn't a reason to skip sleep.
The NHS says the blue light from devices used right before bed keeps you more awake.4 Time spent on a phone can therefore make settling down harder, too. Agree a stopping time for gaming and phone use with your teenager before the evening starts.
Early school starts leave too little time for sleep
A school morning gives your teenager little room to make up for falling asleep later. They need time to get ready and travel, so their alarm has to go off well before lessons begin. That can leave too little time for the 8 to 10 hours they need.
Expecting your teenager to be ready for an early lesson is a big ask when they're still sleepy. An earlier bedtime sounds like a simple fix, but it only adds sleep if they can actually fall asleep then.
Busy evenings leave less time for sleep
Homework, part-time jobs, clubs and family responsibilities can squeeze your teenager's night further. When there's more to do than fits into the evening, sleep is easily cut short. A regular shortfall builds into sleep debt and leaves them tired, even when each night's lost sleep seems small.
The NHS advises getting up at the same time every day. Keeping that routine helps more than long weekend lie-ins. Agree a wake time your teenager can manage throughout the week, and look together at which evening commitments could be reduced to leave enough time for sleep.
Teenage bodies and brains are changing rapidly
Sleep is essential for healthy development during puberty, as Meneo's 2025 review explains. Your teenager's body and brain are going through rapid changes, even if they already look quite grown up. Treat their need for sleep as a health priority.
Better sleep was linked with more active coping after discrimination
Sleep may matter for how your teenager copes with discrimination, according to Wang and Yip's 2020 study.3 The researchers followed 256 ethnic or racial minority teenagers over two weeks. On days when teenagers experienced more discrimination, longer and better sleep the night before was associated with more active coping and better well-being. Longer sleep was also associated with less rumination, or dwelling on what had happened.
The study found associations; it did not prove that sleep caused those benefits or establish that the findings apply to all stress. Better sleep isn't a solution to discrimination itself. If your teenager tells you they've experienced discrimination, take them seriously and ask what support they need.
Sleep disorders and stimulants can also affect sleep
Persistent daytime sleepiness isn't something to dismiss as part of being a teenager. Sleep disorders can be involved, while stimulants can make it harder to fall asleep.
Sleep disorders
Obstructive sleep apnoea is when breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep because the airway becomes blocked. Narcolepsy is a condition that causes excessive daytime sleepiness and sometimes sudden episodes of falling asleep.
If your teenager gets enough sleep but is still very sleepy during the day, arrange a GP appointment. That deserves attention rather than another argument about getting out of bed.
Caffeine and nicotine
Caffeine and nicotine are stimulants. The NHS advises avoiding tea, coffee and smoking for at least six hours before bed. Energy drinks count as caffeine too, so include them when you and your teenager look at what they're drinking before bedtime.
Questions people ask about teenagers and sleep
How many hours of sleep does a teenager need?
The Hirshkowitz (2015) panel recommends 8 to 10 hours of sleep a night for teenagers. That range leaves room for different sleep needs; eight hours isn't a target everyone should stop at. When planning your teenager's evening, allow time for falling asleep as well as sleeping. Time spent in bed awake doesn't count towards the hours of sleep they need.
Is it normal for teenagers to sleep until midday?
Often, sleeping until midday reflects the later sleep timing that develops during puberty. Whether they've slept a long time depends on when they fell asleep, so the waking time alone isn't enough to judge. The NHS advises getting up at the same time every day. Aim for a consistent wake time with your teenager; that helps more than long lie-ins.
When should I worry about my teenager's sleepiness?
Speak to a GP if your teenager remains very sleepy despite enough sleep, or poor sleep continues after changes to their habits. The NHS advises getting help for insomnia when changing sleeping habits hasn't helped. You don't have to decide what's causing the problem before booking. Tell the GP what you've noticed and which changes your teenager has already tried.
