There was a study I remember from around the 1990s that demonstrated, physiologically, that puberty causes sleep cycle changes.
Teens stay up later and sleep later not necessarily because they WANT to stay up later and need the sleep. Their Biorhythms make them alert and awake longer which requires that they sleep later. The theory was that when humans were running around the predator laden grasslands of Africa, you would want your strongest, most aggressive tribe mates up and alert at night.
Of course, this doesn’t sit well with the 9-5 lifestyle and the ‘Siesta = lazy’ mentality.
Teens aren’t lazy. They’re just sleep deprived. I once homeschooled a girl who did all of her schoolwork betwee 1am and 5am. She said it was easier to algebra at 2am then during the day.
I, of course, met with her between 2pm and 3pm – if you wanted to know…
Interesting topic and a good discussion starter on how we humans just love justifying our rationalizations so we can lie with veracity.
richwill
Since I was a child I have been a “night person.” . I sleep best between the hours of 6 am and noon. For me the night is a time for activity. I can adjust when it is a necessity.
