Need 2 Know: Dangers of Sleepy Kids

DAYTON, OH (WDTN) - Staying up late seems to be the norm for most teenagers. But feeling sleepy the next day shouldn't be their main concern. According to a recent study, sleep deprivation can lead to serious mental health problems. Here's what you need to know about the dangers of sleepy teens.

Ninety percent of teens don't get enough shut-eye. 16-year old Kori Karridge is one of them... averaging just four to six hours a night. "It's pretty frustrating, especially when you wake up and feel like you haven't slept the whole night." says Kerridge. But beyond the frustration, there are much more serious issues according to the Medical Director of the Sleep Clinic at Dayton Children's Medical Center. "Short sleep duration in a number of children is a set up for developmental depression later in life. Meaning a higher increase of suicidal ideation in children who are sleep deprived." says Dr. Samuel Dzodzomenyo.

A recent study backs that up. It found one in four adolescents who don't get the recommended nine hours a night suffer depression. Of those, one in five have serious suicidal thoughts. Kerridge has experienced some of that. "I've had concerns about depression and my mood swings because they have been getting worse because of my sleeping habits and new medications."

Beyond mental health problems sleep challenged teens show other behaviors that often make it difficult for them to handle stress and integrate into society. Kerridge admits, "It's harder to do homework and keep things going at a steady rate. I will get really frustrated throughout the day. The slightest thing will set me off if I don't get enough sleep."

And another fact that may shock you about sleep deprived children.. Fifty percent of kids diagnosed with attention deficit hyper activity disorder did not qualify for the diagnosis after doctors looked into their sleep habits and treated their sleep problems.

Correcting sleep problems may be as simple as going to bed at a decent time, but other, more serious conditions may need invertention and testing.