Why does my teen sleep so much when she gets home from school?

Em - posted 4 days ago

Hi there. I ran across this post somewhat randomly and I realize it's an older post but hopefully my response may help some parents. Have your daughter's thyroid checked. I was never really overweight (anorexic for a period even) and would constantly be in trouble with my parents when I was a child into early teen years because I was always sleeping. They thought I might be doing drugs or was being lazy and irresponsible because I was always sleeping. Turns out my thyroid was basically dead. I was diagnosed at 14 and thyroid hormone replacement made all the difference. Now in my thirties, if I begin to feel tired all the time, I know to have my thyroid levels (TSH) checked because I'm likely not getting enough replacement hormones.

Nancy - posted 6 days ago

Wow; all of your posts are helpful. It's so nice to be here with you all. It's great knowing we have this in common; I'm less worried now. Thanks to everybody and a big thanks to the teens who posted comments/suggestions. Bye for now!

Juddy R - posted on 04/30/2013

maybe she is stressed or very depressed or didnt get much sleep the night before.

Alicia - posted on 04/16/2013

I am reading your posts and most of you are talking about inactive children. My 13 year old plays basketball from Nov - July and Soccer from Aug - Nov. Basketball practice is 4-5 days a week, 3 games every Sat and sometimes falls into Sundays. During our down times, all she wants to do is sleep. If she has a Sunday off, she sleeps till 12/1 pm and I let her because she usually played hard the day before. She comes home from school everyday, completes her homework and chores (sometimes on the chores) and then takes a 1-hr (at most) nap before practices. I control how long she naps and I make sure she doesn't sleep longer than an hour so that she won't stay up late at night. This helps to not keep her up late at night, as she normally eats dinner as soon as we are home from practice, showers and may watch TV for an hour and she is off to bed (sometime between 10-11).
I too tho have been very concerned with all the sleeping. As active as she is I thought she should have more energy. I flat out ask her if she is using drugs or if she is doing something that might get her pregnant. I have no problem asking because I don't want to be caught off guard. but after reading everyone's comments, I really do think this is a very normal part of being a teenager.
When I ask her if she is using drugs or pregnant she does get mad and asks me when does she have time for all that or tells me that if she was using drugs she wouldn't be able to play as hard as she does. She knows I am asking because I am concerned but it bugs her because she feels she is just being a teenager. She did have problems as a baby/toddler with low iron, so for her upcoming physical, I've requested blood work. However, this is the pattern with ALL of her teammates and most of the girls have very similar schedules as to hers. And appearantly, ALL of us parents are asking the same questions of our extremely healthy, extremely active teenagers.
I do know she isn't eating right, as she doesn't eat breakfast or lunch (she is supposed to eat at school, but doesn't and I can't force feed her) So the only nutrition she is getting is at home for dinner. She also refuses to drink plenty of water, which I also know is affecting her, but again, I can't force it down her throat. This can also play into why she is so tired. But again - ALL her teammates have the same problem with eating, sleeping and drinking.
They are a good group of well balanced girls and they aren't starving themselves because trust me, they do eat. They just all claim to not be hungry during certain hours of the day, so they don't eat. And they all complain about drinking water. So I am starting to think it really must be a teen thing.
But because I am concerned, I am taking her in for her annual physical + blood work. And will probably find out she is a normal teen who needs to eat better and drink more water - but I'm still having the blood work done just in case.
My best suggestion for the rest of you - rule out any health or nutrition or drug/alcohol concerns by getting them to the Dr. But chances are, this is just the normal cycle of teenagehood.

Sally - posted on 03/09/2013

She's growing the most she has since she was a toddler. That takes a lot of energy. Also, inactivity at home doesn't mean she's not running around at school or out with her friends. Teens also like to stay up late and that may be where she's catching up. If it's worrying you, get her checked to make sure there isn't a health reason.

Mason - posted on 03/06/2013

Hello, I'm a 17 year old male. I've had many problems with sleeping all day and things of the sort. One HUGE thing it might be is sleep apnea. It's more common than you may think and causes a person to be tired all of the time. I'd also check if your child has a lot of anxiety in their life or if they are suffering from depression, as these cause long sleep cycles as well. I suffer from all three and all I can think about is sleep. I sleep after school until 9pm then I wake up, shower, and typically go right back to sleep until I have school the next morning.

Amy - posted on 03/05/2013

I'm a 16yr old teen who sleeps when I get home from school and I'm typically asleep by 930 at night and don't have any trouble falling asleep or waking at night in just always tired . I even drink a cup of coffee when I wake up from my nap & ton of my friends are the same way so I wouldn't worry about it

Jurnee - posted on 10/29/2012

My daughter is 14 years old and she sleeps 12 hours a day and longer while she is on her period. I am putting her on birth control in a week when she gets off her period, but she still sleeps 12 hours a day. She doesn't fell like doing her homework and she said that she is just out of energy and just wants to sleep. She is not over weight. She is at the right weight for her age and height but is tired all the time. Does anyone have a clue why this is. I never had this problem

Francine - posted on 09/26/2012

Over the summer my husband and I watched a documentary by David Suzuki on how the teenage brain works. Here's the link if you are interested to read or even watch the program. Very informative.



http://www.cbc.ca/natureofthings/episode...

Alison - posted on 09/25/2012

Im 15 and I pretty much do this everyday! I get home from school and just sleep, sometimes I dont eat supper too. My mom gets upset at me, Im not sure why tho. I have nothing to do when I get home and if I do, I get it done right away. But she just tells me im immature. Im just being a teenager. I get tired at around 5pm and sleep till 11pm and then go to sleep for the night at midnight and wake up at 6am. The cycle repeats and its tiring!!

Christekilohgrddfdfdddfc - posted on 09/20/2012

Im a teenager and school is torture.When I get home I sleep for 3 hours I wake up eat etc. and im STILL tired I sleep again and im still tired when I wake up I've been moody lately etc. so obviously im just growing if she is eating right and being a LITTLE active then let her sleep but dont let her sleep alot afterschool try to keep her awake because it will ruin her sleeping schedule,She'll sleep in the day and stay up all night

Leyla - posted on 09/13/2012

i'm a teen myself. i get back from school and all i want to do is sleep. i wouldn't worry, it's because yes she is still growing (as am i) and school is EXAUSTING! specially when you have to wake up at 6am.. dont let her sleep to much though otherwise she wont sleep at night, this could also be the cause of her napping.

Susan - posted on 06/09/2012

Wow some of your comments have been so helpful..After reading them I am worrying less. She is a Teen .. She does not fall asleep when upright and talking (at least I don't think so )! lol....she is growing, her mind, her body, her hormones,all trying to get along inside and gel nicely together ! Daily grind of High School, waking up super early, stress of just being a teen, Boys ! Heck if I had the life of a teenage girl in TODAYS society,,omg.. I would sleep too !!

Susan - posted on 06/09/2012

This is the very question as ti why I came back to this site.. To see/ask why does my 17 daughter sleep soo much. Everyday after school she does a 2/3 hr nap !! after naps shes tired again) Weekends if there is nothing going on she sleeps until 12,(wants to take naps in afternoon) that is with me waking her up or she would sleep later !! She has told me she has horrible sleep at night. She can not fall asleep , or when she wakes from a sleep she can not get back to sleep. She recently told me about dream like patterns.. She was doing her own research and thinks she has NARCOLEPSY... We have been to the Dr a few months ago where i said my concern about her sleeping so much. Some teenagers sleep a lot some don't There sleep patterns are all a part of their youth. but with her sleeping sooo much we had to rule out a few things.. All blood work came back normal, no mono,no anemia, no depression... So what can it be? Could it be they are just teens ? I don't know but I am reading up on this Narcolepsy now and taking her back to Dr. Get a second opinion !! I enjoy rerading all of your comments they are very informative !! Thanks

Bishopshane590 - posted on 06/05/2012

I'm sorry, I don't mean to jump into conversations where I don't belong but as a teen I thought I would try to help you a bit, People (according to several studies) grow the most when they are asleep, and as you know the body does a lot of growing during puberty so sleeping is the bodies way of helping teens grow a bit faster. Also hormones have a big effect on how tired someone is (Especially when your body is just getting used to knew hormones that are produced during puberty). One of the biggest reasons is something most adults don't usually consider. Stress has a large factor in it all, stress is very mentally and physically draining (as many of you know all too well) While a teens body is adjusting to new feelings and ways of thinking, a lot of drama and all around stressful situations happen at schools ( several hundred or even thousand teens in one place for 6 hours isn't the best combination to stay calm). Especially with girls though (not to sound sexist in any way) tend to go through tougher social situations during puberty, which causes a large amount of stress. All the advice I can give is, let teens sleep, make sure they have a good schedule for sleep, and don't let them have coffee (because coffee actually induce stress as recent studies show).

Jennie - posted on 01/26/2012

my 2 year old is the same way she sleeps for 13 hours at night and has a nap at daycare but is stillvery tired durring the day all she wants to do is laydown somewhere weather its outside or inside it seems like she has no energy

Susan - posted on 01/03/2012

Even adults get sleepy in the late afternoon; as long as she gets enough exercise and eats right I would let her sleep

JAMYE - posted on 09/16/2011

my 14 year old sleeps every day after school for at least 2 hours and still is in bed by 10-10:30..I think teenagers go through a growing spurt when they sleep like that. At least I hope so...

TERESA - posted on 10/22/2010

You might want to get her checked out by a doctor, a lot of times when a teen has no energy it might mean that she might be anemic. She might need special vitamins in order to get her back on track.

Jennifer - posted on 06/06/2010

Wow...I could have written it about my 17 year old. We have open communication-as open as i think is normal for her age....it seems to be a combination of sneaking cell phone usage at night combined with puberty. When we're thinking ahead (which is not all the time), we try to let her know before going to her room that she'll have to retire her cell at bedtime if she's going to continue frequent napping. Im glad for all the input and ideas cause it gives me new inspiration to help her with healthier sleeping habits.

Julie - posted on 05/07/2010

Nobody likes to hear this but it's crucial to know...could also be depression..the signs are not alwas visable. You gotta watch these teens now a day's. Also we all don't want to face it but kids do things in school or during school hours that we don't think about like smoking pot, drinking..., it's true, even the little innocent angel girls try it and/or get depressed. Could also be thryoid think or on the heavy side all girls in their late teens should be checked for it. If your asking other's and yourself why she is sleeping all the time..., try and ask her maybe she will tell you, and if not..., watch her carefully. The first sign of depression for any age is "sleeping all the time". Good luck. I hope it's just a growth spurt for her. God bless you for seeking advise. Some Mother's never would.

Jacque - posted on 05/06/2010

Could she be getting ready to go through a growth spurt? That's sign usually when kids sleep a lot, esp. teens

Kelly - posted on 05/04/2010

I just read an article about this on a teen health website. A teenager's sleeping pattern drastically changes. The teen finds it extremely difficult to fall asleep at their regular bedtime & instead fall asleep later...meaning they're more tired when they have to wake up at their regular time in the morning. My daughter did a report on it for P.E.. Anyways there is an actual biological explanation. Try getting her to bed earlier than usual, making sure she uses the time to relax and not watch tv or play a video game. If she likes chamomile tea or taking a relaxing bath, that might help as well.

Debbie - posted on 05/03/2010

My 17 yr step-son was sleeping all the time. We found out he was smoking pot. When he quit the pot, he stopped sleeping after school. But as others have posted, there is a variety of reasons including depression.

Julie - posted on 05/03/2010

Cherril - I am assuming you mean mononucleosis when you say glandular fever and that is an excellent suggestion as it is seen most often in the teen years.
If there is a history of depression in your family you may want to discuss the subject with your daughter because around puberty time is when many new cases of depression are discovered.
Usually is just amounts to not sleeping enough at night and stress with exams etc take a toll also. My teens sleep after school usually a few days a week but their grades are good, they are active with friends in school and outside of school so I do not worry about it.

Joanne - posted on 05/03/2010

Sorry to say, but have you had her tested for being pregnant? Even if she isn't showing. I was 7 months pregnant with my first, and I didn't even know it. I thought the little moving inside of me was gas! I was young and had no one to talk to. So asking the question would be a good thing. Then you will have opened the door to having good and informative conversations with your child.

Alexandra - posted on 05/03/2010

Maybe she is staying up late talking on the phone, texting etc. I hate to even bring this up but as parents you have to think of everything...kids are experimenting with drugs a lot now days. I would take her to see her dr and have him check and see what this lack of energy is all about. Don't over look at what is going on, take control now and have her seen by her Dr. Do not discard any possible cause. Good luck and I hope you find out what is happening with your daughter.

Rosemary - posted on 05/02/2010

My 15 year old takes a nap after school also. She gets up early to get to bus by 6:15. Somtimes she says she can't fall asleep at night and i remind her of her nap. Honestly if i had to get up at 5:30am, i would be sleepy around 3:30 also. I also think it is around the end of the school year with less practices for her to attend and relaxing in the free time.

Jenn - posted on 05/01/2010

My 14 yr old occasionally takes naps after school, my husband raised concern. I explained to him it is normal, and especially for a girl when she is mentrating or PMS. She does on occasion stay up late texting or reading a book. I keep track of her cycles and we talk often about school, friends, boys. I think back to when I was her age and I too would nap sometimes and there wasn't anything 'wrong' with me .... It's normal. However, if there are other signs that leave you feeling unsettled, a trip to her doctor (gyn) would be reassuring there isn't anything physical or psychological going on that needs treatment.

Tanya - posted on 04/30/2010

There can be many reasons for that. Not enough sleep at night, Dyslexia, pregnancy, health reasons, drugs, or just that plain teens need more sleep explanation from many doctors. I hope all is well. I hope she is just in need of some extra sleep. I work with many different types of people, families, communities, etc. Tanya

Yvonne - posted on 04/30/2010

hi their my name is yvonne and i have a case like ur's my daughter is always sleepying after school and i was like what was wrong with my daughter and shorely she was low blood so doctor said that she needs to eat plenty of green veggie's and drink v8 veggie's and also v8 splash juice and maybe it will help her but if it doesn't help than u should seek more help from a doctor

Sophie - posted on 04/29/2010

i have same problem/qi think they need more responsibilties for after school time ,im thinking and taking ideas

Beth - posted on 04/29/2010

u may also want to have a blood test for mono.. as they can simply get it from drinking from someone who shows no signs...my son became positive after attending a bday party, and he is always careful to keep his drinks far away when he sets them down.. something happened....people can be mono positive for many months showing zero signs.. just a thought if u do nto find the cell and comp problems

Debbie - posted on 04/29/2010

My two girls are doing this as well. I took them both to the doctor and was told it's completely normal. I'm trying to monitor their night sleeping by taking books, cells, and TV away at a cetain time. Hopefully it will work.

Angie - posted on 04/28/2010

Teenagers need at least 10 of sleep a night. Make sure she's getting to bed at a decent amount of sleep. Also check to make sure she isn't depressed - that is also very exhausting...............

Nicki - posted on 04/28/2010

Thanks for all your suggestions and post. they were very helpful!

Cherrill - posted on 04/27/2010

also get her checked for glandular fever, i had it when i was a teen and didnt get any of the swollen glands just the lack of energy, it will show up in a blood test, if she has it.

ps my 17 yo son does the same thing... hes just bored so he sleeps.

good luck.

Louise - posted on 04/27/2010

Is your daughter sleeping enough at night or is she texting half the night like mine! Kids today don't know how to switch off and relax and if she does not have a regular down time she will be knackered all the time. I made my sons put there phone on charge in the kitchen so that they can not be tempted to text as they were getting calls at midnight. I also insist that lap tops are switched off after 1030pm. If this is not relevant then look at her diet a lack of iron can make you tired and with a young girl that is menstruating regularly needs alot more iron than you think. It is easy to check for anemia just gently pull down the eyelid and the inner liner should be pink and not whitey pink. If this is not relevant then take her to the doctors for a blood test to check for thyroid function, anemia and hormone levels. Hope she gets sorted soon.

Sarah - posted on 04/26/2010

Teenagers need alot of sleep because of all the hormonal changes that are happening in their bodies. As long as she's sleeping at night as well, let her sleep.

Jennifer - posted on 04/26/2010

I would make sure she's actually sleeping at night first...my 16 yo used to take a nap after school and then try and stay up until 2-3 am, claiming she "couldn't sleep". And she was sneaky about it...hiding the computer under her covers and keeping the lights out. Eventually we figured out what was going on and had to take away her cell and computer after 10 pm and stop allowing her to take naps after school. Within a few weeks she had a lot more energy, her grades went up, and she was just generally more pleasant to be around.

If she actually is sleeping at night too...maybe it's depression or she's having trouble dealing with something and the stress is getting to her. Maybe she'll open up to you.

Joyce - posted on 04/24/2010

My 15 year old likes to take a nap after school as well. She still sleeps at night so I don't give her grief about it. I figure if she didn't need the sleep she wouldn't. Makes for a better mood from her when she does nap too.

Corena - posted on 04/23/2010

"Adolescents need about 8 to 9.5 hours of sleep per night, but many don't get it. And as they progress through puberty, teens actually need more sleep. Because teens often have schedules packed with school and activities, they're typically chronically sleep deprived (or lacking in a healthy amount of sleep).

And sleep deprivation adds up over time, so an hour less per night is like a full night without sleep by the end of the week. Among other things, sleep deprivation can lead to:

decreased attentiveness
decreased short-term memory
inconsistent performance
delayed response time
These can cause generally bad tempers, problems in school, stimulant use, and driving accidents (more than half of "asleep-at-the-wheel" car accidents are caused by teens).

Adolescents also experience a change in their sleep patterns — their bodies want to stay up late and wake up later, which often leads to them trying to catch up on sleep during the weekend. This sleep schedule irregularity can actually aggravate the problems and make getting to sleep at a reasonable hour during the week even harder.

Ideally, a teenager should try to go to bed at the same time every night and wake up at the same time every morning, allowing for at least 8 to 9 hours of sleep."

Ginger - posted on 04/23/2010

Hi Nicki,



My teen daughter sometimes would want to take naps when she gets home from school. My daughter would get really tired and fatigued around the time she would be about to start her period. She would also get headaches one week before she started. I attribute it to PMS.



I also found that when I thought she was sleeping she was really up txting or talking on the phone or listening to her ipod. Then want to take a nap afterschool the next day.



This could explain some of it. Try taling to your daughter and dont accuse or be critical just take her out for a girl day out for fun and just talk. This might help you learn more about what is going on with her.



Many Blessings to you,

Ginger