From A to ZZZZ's: What Teens Need to Know About Sleep

Homework, sports, after-school clubs, part-time jobs—for teenagers, it's hard to juggle life, school, and sleep…and it's usually sleep that loses out. Due to the rapid rate of adolescent development, studies indicate that teens need over nine hours of sleep each night. Dream on, most would say, the average teen only gets about seven hours on school nights. That leaves a sleep deficit of over 10 hours a week—which a weekend of sleeping won't remedy. From A to ZZZZ's is an informative overview that explains circadian rhythms, sleep cycles, and the barriers to getting good sleep; unfortunately, the program seems to spend more time on the tragic tale of a guy who fell asleep at the wheel rather than actually discussing strategies for getting more and better sleep. While the accompanying curriculum explores healthy sleep choices in greater detail, the unevenness of the program makes this an optional purchase. Aud: J, H, P. (E. Gieschen)