From the Journals

US Adolescent Sleep Loss Worsens Over 16 Years

Increase was driven largely by rising rates of very short sleep among high school students, with trends seen across demographic and behavioral groups.

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In 2023, nearly 80% of US high school students reported insufficient sleep, a significant rise from 70% in 2007, as per a JAMA study. The analysis drew from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, involving 120,950 students. Insufficient sleep, defined as 7 hours or less, increased mainly due to those getting 5 hours or less. The trend spanned across all demographic groups, with higher rates reported among Black students. Factors like depressive symptoms correlated with heightened sleep deprivation, indicating a need for systemic solutions such as adjusted school start times.

Original Source(s)

US Adolescent Sleep Loss Worsens Over 16 Years

Increase was driven largely by rising rates of very short sleep among high school students, with trends seen across demographic and behavioral groups.

  • by Olivia Anderson

  • March 9, 2026

  • 3 min

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