Puberty...
- alters the biological clock, programming teenagers to fall asleep about an hour later than they did earlier in life and to sleep later in the morning
- Melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate sleep, signals the onset of sleep NOT actually inducing sleep
- In prepubescents melatonin secretion starts at around 9:30
- In adolescents melatonin secretion starts at around 10:30
- Melatonin precedes the onset of bedtime by about and hour so most teens aren’t ready to sleep until 11 o’clock