Back-to-school time is quickly approaching and many parents are likely fretting over the thought of trying to drag their teens out of bed.
According to a sleep expert at the Cleveland Clinic, your teen's reluctance to get up for school doesn't mean they're lazy.
Dr. Harneet Walia said the bodies of adolescents from about age 12 to 18 are actually wired to operate on a delayed sleep-wake cycle.
To help teens get back on their school sleep schedule, Dr. Walia recommends easing them into their earlier get-up time.
"Maybe two to three weeks before the school starts, the parents should try to ensure that the kid is getting enough sleep and they should try to move the sleep schedule in small increments by fifteen minutes every day and move it closer to the school sleep time," she said.
Keeping your teen's schedule free of non-essential activities will also help them get a healthy amount of sleep.