Walk into any first-period high school classroom and it's obvious: teenagers are exhausted. Sleep deprivation is an epidemic as widespread as obesity - and as problematic. Fortunately, science has answers and Dr. Helene Emsellem has solutions that all parents can use.

Affecting the lives of more than 41 million adolescents in the United States alone, kids just aren't getting enough sleep. We know this intuitively as we watch kids frantically juggle a hectic social calendar with the overwhelming demands of school, work, and chores. School performance around the country is suffering - but it's not just grades that are at risk. Sleep deprivation has been found to affect nearly every aspect of a teenager's life, from emotional stability and behavioral issues to physical well-being and the potential for drug and alcohol abuse.

For years, we've blamed many of these teenage characteristics to the natural maturing process or changing hormones. And while chemicals do surge through the body creating strong effects, sleep - the right amount and the right kind - has now been targeted as a key to overall success and well-being.

 

 

Teen sleep is a NOW problem.  And Here's Why:

 

 1.  The current pressures on teens to succeed with overwhelming competition involved in the college entrance process.

 2.  Our evolution to a 24-7 culture with the technology era bombarding teens with options to stay 'engaged' throughout the night (from their own bedrooms!)

 3. Presumably 'innocent'ќ changes to earlier high school start times initiated as money-saving strategies in many school districts over the past 10 to 15 years resulting in high school start times as early as 7:20 AM with bussed students picked up before 6 AM in some school districts, exacerbating the problem of insufficient sleep.

 4. There are major community efforts beginning across the country as PTAs and school districts begin to recognize the need to change the start times.  This book will arm them with data and scientific validation for their efforts

 5. The 2006 Sleep in America Poll just released in the end of March and was all about the problems with sleep in teens.  This poll has provocative data about the extent of sleep restriction and its impact on our teens.  The release of this poll makes the book extremely timely and will be a resource to anyone wanting to read more about teen sleep problems.

 

Snooze. . . Or Lose! explains the extraordinary role that sleep plays in teens' lives and provides guidelines or helping teens get the sleep they need. Written in a lively and down-to-earth style, with lots of tips and advice from teens themselves, this book will be the go-to guide for parents and kids looking for a good night's sleep.