Why is my 13 year old so tired?

If you are wondering why your teenage son or daughter is always looking like they just escaped from a zombie apocalypse, stay tuned. In this article, we will be discussing the numerous reasons that may cause fatigue and exhaustion in teenagers. From sleep deprivation to hormonal imbalances, we’ve got it all covered!

Sleep Deprivation: Blame It On Late Night Binges

Is your teenager up until the wee hours of the morning watching Netflix’s latest release? Or maybe they’re still trying to beat their high score on Call of Duty. Well, this may be one reason for their persistent tiredness during the day.

According to The National Sleep Foundation, children aged between 14-17 require at least 8-10 hours of sleep each night; however, most teenagers only manage an average of seven hours per night.

But what does this exactly mean for your child? Let me put it bluntly; not getting enough sleep can lead to impaired concentration levels (which isn’t helpful when cramming for exams), mood swings (teenage angst anyone?), memory deficits – and I’m sure nobody wants that – as well as physical health issues such as obesity.

Here are some additional factors contributing to inefficient zzz’s:

  • Bedroom distractions: Do they have a TV in their room? What about smartphones/tablets/laptops?- Yes/Yes/Yes?! Between blue light coming off these devices(suppressing melatonin production) and social media alert chimes going off every two seconds(FOMO much?), no wonder our teens’ brains never fully shut down.
  • Caffeine intake: Cokes at dinner aren’t doing them any favors
  • Stressful situations: School pressure/extracurriculars/friend issues etc so many stressors!
    How do you convince a teenager who thinks sleeping through lunch is okay to get in bed an hour earlier? Tricky, I know.

So Hormones Must Be Blamed Too?

You guessed it – hormones play a significant role in fatigue and exhaustion in teenagers. From puberty through adolescence and into early childhood adulthood, hormonal changes can wreak havoc on anyone’s energy levels.

During these developmental years, the brain undergoes tremendous alterations too. This time allows for the release of growth hormones (GH) which are essential for muscle tissue repair and regeneration during sleep. Your teenager may have heard that HGH is their magical ticket to jacked muscles, well let them know those puppy eyes they give you near bedtime won’t work anymore as sleeping is needed more than ever!

Here’s a list of primary bodily functions coupled with adolescent hormone fluctuations:

  • The menstrual cycle (ouch)
  • Growth spurts: They’re growing up fast huh
  • Acne breakouts: The corresponding psychological toll can be exhausting itself
  • And finally..(drumroll please!)

Are Mental Health Issues Contributing To Fatigue?

Yes! It’s said knowledge equals power- but overload/processing this same information too much will definitely come back to bite one psychologically(Erections happen from the nervous system not only physical stimulation afterall). Our teens don’t always operate at peak mental health; teenage mood swings can have significant negative impacts on productivity or feeling energized.

Between school pressures (Yikes), social media availability giving glimpses into people experiencing life unlike themselves(#FOMO) and managing family/friend relationships plus attempting self-discovery hence creation of individual identity(think middle finger adorned backpacks), life as a teen has multiple bumps along the road.

It’s important parents investigate possible depression/anxiety disorders especially when noticing other symptoms such as unexplained weight loss/gain or irregular eating habits -it could be beneficial reaching out to professionals offering custom treatment plans.

The Bottom Line

When it comes to teenage fatigue, there are no easy fixes. Nevertheless, we can always take a step back and evaluate our teenagers’ lifestyles; reflect on whether they need more rest, eat healthier meals or sign them up for meditation classes (mindful flow anyone?).

Reminder: As difficult as raising healthy children during their developmental years may seem – with crazy hormone fluctuations and equally-volatile emotional upheavals at home/school – supervision is paramount to a brighter future of well rested teens!

As parents taking the time out to read about common reasons behind fatigue is just one action showing how invested you truly are 😉

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