Sleepless Teen? Could Be The Internet

Are you dealing with a sleep deprived teen? It could be the Internet!

Studies have linked media use — video gaming, Internet, and TV with sleep deficits in teens.

In a study presented Monday at the American Psychiatric Association's annual meeting , researchers reported that video gaming and Internet use were associated with less sleep among teens, but TV watching was linked to slightly increased time in bed.

A Time magazine article said that TV watching that is more "passive", does not appear to affect teens, sleep as much as internet surfing and video games.

According to psychiatrist Dr. Caris Fitzgerald...

Gaming and computer use are more about the drive to stay awake," she says. "They are more about arousal. Studies show that they are linked to heart rate variability, blood pressure changes, and changes in flight-or-fight responses.

While it is foolish to think you can keep an adolescent off the computer completely, it might be advisable to limit the amount of computer useage at night.