Sleep is the back-to-school reset we all need.

As young people navigate new routines, friendships, schools, and identities as they head back to school, sleep becomes more than just rest: it is one of the foundations for physical health, emotional wellbeing, and social connection. Sleep is also one of the strongest protective factors for adolescent well-being, particularly during the transition back to school (Wheaton et al., 2016). In this respect, sleep is a form of self-respect and relationship care: being rested can help us show up as better friends, classmates, teammates, and the best versions of ourselves!

How often do you prioritize thinking about your sleep?

We spend about one third of our day sleeping, and yet, rarely stop to think about how our sleep quality and routines may be impacting our health and relationships. This is especially important during adolescence. Sleep deprivation can have a disproportionate impact on young people’s brain development, especially as sleep deprivation is associated with greater irritability, lower emotional regulation, and more interpersonal difficulties (Child Mind Institute, 2026; Shochat et al., 2014). Research increasingly shows that well-rested teens tend to experience better mood, stronger emotional regulation, healthier relationships, and greater feelings of belonging, while late-night phone and social media use can unintentionally crowd out the sleep that helps young people thrive socially and emotionally (Trivedi, 2026; Yu et al., 2024).  These are all things that can help young people start the school year off strong.

What we know about sleep, social connection, and teen wellbeing:

Sleep affects way more than just feeling tired. Poor sleep, which can include having trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or interrupted sleep, can also impact a teen’s mood, physical health, and behavior in school (Liu et al., 2024). More specifically, poor sleep is related to obesity, mental health issues such as aggression, social anxiety, and depression, and worse academic performance. Sleep is imperative during the teenage years especially for learning and developmental growth. 

Well-rested teens tend to navigate friendships better. Friendships and social connections are an important part of teenage development (De Lise et al., 2023) and have far reaching positive effects across their lifetime. Getting enough sleep can play a key role in helping teens build and maintain these important relationships (Palmer et al., 2022). Teens who have sleep problems often have a harder time connecting with peers and may feel less socially connected. In contrast, teens who get consistent, quality sleep tend to have stronger friendships, more positive social interactions, and greater social support (Tu & Cai, 2020). 

Back-to-school transitions can disrupt sleep routines. After a more flexible summer schedule, many teens struggle to adjust to earlier wake-up times when the school year begins in the fall. This shift can make it harder for teens to get sufficient sleep, especially when early school start times are combined with homework, extracurricular activities, and other evening responsibilities that keep them up later. Even small changes to school schedules can make a big difference. Studies have shown that delaying school start times by as little as 30 minutes can help teens get more sleep and improve their overall well-being (Wheaton et al., 2016).

Digital connection can support friendships, but it can also crowd out rest. Smartphones and social media help us connect with friends, however, late-night phone use can delay and interrupt sleep routines, reducing overall sleep quality. Recent research suggests that young people who use their phones during bedtime hours are more likely to have shorter sleep duration and delayed sleep schedules (Trivedi, 2026). 

As community psychologists and individuals with varied lived experience when it comes to sleep challenges, we know that sleep is not just an individual health behavior or habit, but rather, a community resource that supports healthy development and is shaped by the environments in which young people live, learn, and grow. As teens head back to school this fall, it is important to think about the following, all of which contribute to the amount and quality of sleep adolescents receive.

Community-Level (i.e., School start times, employment, built and social environment)

What Can Help: later school start times; awareness of healthy sleep needs; positive workplace culture around sleep health; bus and transportation availability; green space availability 

School-Level (i.e., school start times, academic demands, extracurricular activities)

What Can Help:  later school start times, realistic expectations for homework, AP/IB course enrollment, and extracurricular activities; positive school climate; availability of counseling services; teacher support for student needs 

Family-Level (i.e., family routines, technology use, neighborhood conditions)

What Can Help:  wake-up and bed-time schedules; device guidelines and age-appropriate safeguards; access to recreational spaces; neighborhood safety and monitoring noise levels  s; teacher support for student needs 

Supporting healthy sleep means creating systems and environments that make restorative sleep possible, rather than placing the burden solely on individual teens. Rather than only asking why teens are not getting enough sleep, we must also ask how schools, families, communities, and policies can work together to create conditions that allow all young people to thrive. 

TLDR;

Better sleep isn’t just about feeling rested. Getting enough sleep, regularly, is one of the best ways teens can strengthen friendships, support their mental health, and start the school year strong.

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CALL TO ACTION FOR YOUTH:

• Beat the FOMO: It might feel like staying up keeps you connected, but real connection needs energy. Getting sleep helps you show up better for the people who matter in your day.
• Take Back Your Time: If late-night scrolling feels like your only free time, your day may be too packed. Try building in small moments for yourself earlier so you are not sacrificing sleep to feel in control.
• Don’t Trust Late Night Thoughts: Thoughts about not being good enough or not doing enough get louder at night. Pause and question them, because they are often not as true as they feel. Try a morning reality check: write the thought down, leave it alone, and look at it again after a good night’s rest, and then take another look at this thought. You’ll usually find it loses its power in the daytime. 
• Choose Energy Over Hours: Being online longer does not make you a better friend! Being present, patient, and engaged the next day does.

CALL TO ACTION FOR CAREGIVERS:

• Start with Curiosity: Ask what is making sleep difficult instead of focusing on rules. Understanding the “why” helps teens feel seen and safe opening up.
• Look Beneath the Behavior: Late nights are often driven by stress, pressure, or social dynamics. Learning about and helping the teen address the root cause is more effective than focusing only on screens.
• Build Routines Together: Collaborate on realistic sleep routines and tech boundaries. Teens are more likely to follow plans they help create! Bonus: You likely need more sleep, too, and can benefit from what you build together.
• Make Rest Feel Safe: Support and consistency matter more than control. When teens feel understood, they are more likely to prioritize rest.

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This article was co-authored by Dr. Rachel Hanebutt, who studies adolescent development and digital behaviors and currently serves as a member on Only7Seconds’ Scientific Advisory Board. She is joined by co-authors Cierra Stanton, a doctoral student who studies adolescent sleep health and sleep disorders at Vanderbilt University, and Arya Chudiwale, a high school student at Washington Liberty High School in Arlington, VA.

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Dr. Rachel Hanebutt, Ed.M., M.A., M.S. is currently an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Holt Family Rising Professor at Georgetown University’s Thrive Center for Children, Families, & Communities and Department of Psychiatry at Georgetown University School of Medicine. Dr. Hanebutt completed her doctorate at Vanderbilt University, in the Community Research and Action program at Peabody College. Her dissertation focused on adolescent digital health strategies and teen wellbeing in partnership with #HalfTheStory, a leading educational intervention nonprofit in the space.ully led four full product development cycles from ideation to launch, including a B2B SaaS platform that grew to more than 30,000 users.

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REFERENCES:

Child Mind Institute. (2026, February 23). Teens and sleep: The cost of sleep deprivation. https://childmind.org/article/happens-teenagers-dont-get-enough-sleep/

De Lise, F., Bacaro, V., & Crocetti, E. (2023). The social side of sleep: A systematic review of the longitudinal associations between peer relationships and sleep quality. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(3), 2017. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20032017

Liu, J., Ji, X., Pitt, S., Wang, G., Rovit, E., Lipman, T., & Jiang, F. (2024). Childhood sleep: Physical, cognitive, and behavioral consequences and implications. World Journal of Pediatrics: WJP, 20(2), 122–132. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12519-022-00647-w

Palmer, C. A., Powell, S. L., Deutchman, D. R., Tintzman, C., Poppler, A., & Oosterhoff, B. (2022). Sleepy and secluded: Sleep disturbances are associated with connectedness in early adolescent social networks. Journal of Research on Adolescence: The Official Journal of the Society for Research on Adolescence, 32(2), 756–768. https://doi.org/10.1111/jora.12670

Shochat, T., Cohen-Zion, M., & Tzischinsky, O. (2014). Functional consequences of inadequate sleep in adolescents: A systematic review. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 18(1), 75–87. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2013.03.005

Trivedi, A. (2026, May 26). Teens need to press pause on late-night doomscrolling. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/26/health/teen-nighttime-phone-use-study-wellness

Tu, K. M., & Cai, T. (2020). Reciprocal associations between adolescent peer relationships and sleep. Sleep Health, 6(6), 743–748. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleh.2020.01.019

Wheaton, A. G., Chapman, D. P., & Croft, J. B. (2016). School start times, sleep, behavioral, health, and academic outcomes: A review of the literature. The Journal of School Health, 86(5), 363–381. https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.12388

Yu, D. J., Wing, Y. K., Li, T. M. H., & Chan, N. Y. (2024). The impact of social media use on sleep and mental health in youth: A Scoping Review. Current Psychiatry Reports, 26(3), 104–119. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-024-01481-9