Teenagers across the United States are getting less sleep than ever before, and Canadian health experts say the same troubling pattern is unfolding in Canada. A major study published in the journal Pediatrics found that sleep levels among American teens have steadily declined over the past three decades, reaching record lows in recent years.
The findings have sparked concerns among sleep specialists and pediatric researchers who warn that chronic sleep deprivation during adolescence can affect everything from mental health and academic performance to long-term physical well-being.
The study analyzed data from more than 400,000 American teenagers between 1991 and 2023. Researchers found that sleep duration declined consistently across every age group, with older adolescents experiencing the most severe drop. Only 22 per cent of older teens reported getting at least seven hours of sleep per night.
Canadian researchers and sleep experts say youth in Canada are facing many of the same challenges.
Canadian Teenagers Also Struggling to Get Enough Sleep
A January 2026 Canadian study revealed that 37 per cent of youth between 12 and 17 years old are not meeting the country’s minimum recommended sleep duration.
According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, teenagers between the ages of 14 and 17 should get between eight and 10 hours of sleep every night for healthy development.
Experts say many teens are falling short of those recommendations because of modern lifestyle pressures, packed schedules and growing screen time habits.
Andrew Holmes, founder of Sleep Efficiency and a registered polysomnographic technologist, said Canadian teenagers face many of the same pressures as American youth.
Why Teen Sleep Patterns Naturally Change
Sleep experts say one of the biggest misconceptions among parents is believing teenagers can function well on less sleep simply because they stay awake later.
In reality, adolescence causes major biological changes to the body’s internal clock.
The Shift in Circadian Rhythm
As teenagers grow older, their circadian rhythm naturally shifts later into the evening. This means teens often do not feel tired until much later at night, even though they still need a full night of rest.
Experts explain that while teenagers may stay up later naturally, school schedules and early morning routines force them to wake up before their bodies are fully rested.
This mismatch between biology and daily responsibilities creates chronic sleep deprivation for many adolescents.
Jean-Philippe Chaput, a professor in the department of pediatrics at the University of Ottawa and senior scientist with the Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research Group, said roughly one-third of Canadian adolescents are still not meeting healthy sleep recommendations.
He noted that while many Canadian teens do achieve the recommended eight to 10 hours of sleep, a significant portion consistently falls below that threshold.
Smartphones and Social Media Taking a Heavy Toll
Sleep researchers increasingly point to smartphones and social media as major contributors to declining sleep among teenagers.
Late-Night Scrolling and Fear of Missing Out
Experts say many teenagers remain awake late into the night scrolling through social media feeds, watching videos, texting friends or participating in group chats.
Holmes explained that fear of missing out, commonly known as FOMO, keeps many teenagers connected to their devices long after bedtime.
This constant digital engagement delays sleep and disrupts healthy nighttime routines.
Chaput said social media has become deeply tied to teenage identity and social development, making it difficult for many young people to disconnect.
He explained that teenagers rely heavily on social platforms to communicate with friends, share experiences and establish independence. However, the downside is that these activities often push bedtime later and later.
Sleep Problems Have Worsened Over Time
Although social media is now considered a major factor, experts note that poor sleep among teenagers existed even before smartphones became widespread.
The long-term data in the American study stretches back to the early 1990s, well before modern social media platforms existed. Despite that, researchers still found consistent declines in sleep over time.
Chaput believes social media has intensified an already existing issue, making sleep deprivation even more common among today’s teenagers than it was decades ago.
He said the pressure modern teens face today extends far beyond academics, with online activity creating constant stimulation and emotional engagement throughout the evening.
Early School Start Times Creating Additional Pressure
Another major factor affecting teenage sleep is school scheduling.
Many experts argue that school start times are too early for adolescent biological rhythms.
Teens Often Wake Up Before Their Bodies Are Ready
Chaput noted that average school start times in Canada are around 8:30 a.m., while many American schools begin even earlier at approximately 7:45 a.m.
For students who need time to prepare, commute and catch buses, this often means waking up as early as 6:30 a.m. or earlier.
Because teenagers naturally fall asleep later, these early mornings leave many students unable to achieve the recommended eight to 10 hours of rest.
Sleep researchers have repeatedly argued that later school start times could significantly improve teen sleep duration, academic focus and mental health outcomes.
Poor Sleep Habits Can Last Into Adulthood
Experts warn that unhealthy sleep routines developed during adolescence often continue into adulthood.
Holmes explained that the teenage years are a critical period when long-term behavioral habits are formed. If irregular sleep schedules, chronic sleep deprivation and excessive nighttime screen use become normalized early in life, those patterns may continue for years.
Researchers say this can contribute to broader sleep issues later in adulthood, including insomnia, fatigue, reduced productivity and mental health challenges.
Canadians Facing a Wider Sleep Crisis
The concerns surrounding teen sleep come as many adults across Canada also report serious sleep struggles.
A national Leger survey conducted in March 2026 found that 41 per cent of Canadians are getting fewer than seven hours of sleep each night.
The survey also revealed that:
Many Canadians Have Trouble Falling Asleep
More than half of respondents said they struggle to fall asleep regularly.
Staying Asleep Is Also a Major Issue
Seventy-one per cent of Canadians reported difficulty staying asleep throughout the night.
Even among people who reported getting seven or more hours of sleep, nearly 65 per cent still said they experienced problems with either falling asleep or remaining asleep.
These findings suggest that sleep quality, not just sleep duration, is becoming an increasing concern across the country.
Experts Say Society Needs to Value Sleep More
Health experts argue that sleep is often treated as less important than other aspects of wellness such as diet or exercise.
Rebecca Robillard, co-chair of the Canadian Sleep Research Consortium and director of the clinical Sleep Research Unit at the University of Ottawa, said many people prioritize other responsibilities ahead of proper rest.
Researchers say this mindset can be especially harmful during adolescence, when the brain and body are still rapidly developing.
Chaput emphasized that sleep affects nearly every aspect of human health and daily functioning.
He said people spend roughly one-third of their lives asleep, making sleep one of the most fundamental components of long-term health.
Experts believe the growing sleep crisis among teenagers highlights the need for families, schools and society as a whole to place greater importance on healthy sleep habits before the problem worsens further.
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