What lack of sleep does to the teenage brain

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Wendy Troxel |

TED-Ed

• November 2025

Sleep deprivation among American teenagers is an epidemic. Only about 1 in 10 teens gets the 8 to 10 hours of sleep per night recommended by sleep scientists and pediatricians. So, what’s going on? And what changes can be made to address this issue? Wendy Troxel shares how early school start times and public policy are depriving adolescents of sleep at a time when they need it most. [Directed by Laura Jayne Hodkin, music by Cem Misirlioglu, WORKPLAYWORK].