In families, different members have different sleep rhythms, and these sleep rhythms can change over time.
"Early risers" sometimes receive false credit for hard work, while "night owls" might be called lazy or undisciplined. However, sleep science is discovering these sleep rhythms have biological causes instead of perceived character traits.
For example, teenagers can receive a bad rap for laziness; however, a shift in sleep rhythm is more responsible. Studies show that teenage sleep cycles generally shift bedtime to later in the evening and later in the morning. Our high school systems have not responded very well, and I favor later classes for teenagers.
While life schedules are complex and intertwining, my hope for families is to accommodate the sleep patterns of its members as best as possible.
Work cited
"Secrets of Sleep Science: From Dreams to Disorders"
The Great Courses
Professor H. Craig Heller, Ph.D.
Stanford University
Photo above by Mpho Mojapelo on Unsplash
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