By Michael Sanderson, MD, a pediatrician at Northeast Wyoming Pediatric Associates
In Sheridan County, the start of school means more than returning to the classroom. Football practice, volleyball, cross-country, tennis, dance, marching band, 4-H, church activities, homework, jobs — the list goes on. These are good things; they are part of what makes growing up in Sheridan County such a rich experience, preparing our young people for what lies ahead. But as the family calendar fills up, the “margin” in the schedule grows smaller, threatening to squeeze out some essential health needs. This year, I’ve been talking with many patients and families about one of those increasingly threatened needs: healthy sleep.
Over the past few years, I’ve found myself discussing inadequate or dysfunctional sleep more often than I used to. It frequently comes up when I see patients for depression, anxiety, poor academic performance, behavioral challenges and chronic fatigue. Even for children without these concerns, sleep quality is often overlooked or underrated as an essential part of their health.
Recent research from the University of Minnesota examining more than 400,000 adolescents found that sleep among American teenagers has steadily declined over the past three decades. In the most recent years studied, only 37% of 12- and 13-year-olds regularly reported getting even seven hours of sleep, while only 22% of 18- and 19-year-olds reported the same. I see similar patterns in my practice; some teenagers burn the midnight oil keeping up with demanding academic schedules. Others work after-school jobs that keep them until closing time. Far too many are simply in their rooms, doom-scrolling TikTok or Instagram until they realize it is nearly one in the morning.
To try and counter this worsening trend, in March, the National Sleep Foundation published updated, evidence-based recommendations for adolescent sleep health. The guidelines encourage families to preserve 8 – 10 hours of sleep opportunity for teenagers, keep sleep and wake times reasonably consistent, including on weekends, and avoid allowing extracurricular, work and academic demands to continually displace sleep. Experts also continue to caution against nighttime technology use, recommending at least one hour without screens before bedtime.
The recommendations also reflect what we increasingly understand about adolescent circadian biology: teenagers naturally shift toward later sleep and wake times. Family, activity and school schedules should account for that biology rather than work against it. In that spirit, the National Sleep Foundation reaffirmed the recommendation that middle and high schools begin at 8:30 am or later. Something to consider, to be sure.
For Sheridan County families, the takeaway is simple: treat sleep as something to protect, not as leftover time after everything else gets done. As the school year begins, take an honest and earnest look at whether your child is consistently getting the sleep they need. That may sometimes mean saying no, leaving some things unfinished, or setting firmer boundaries around screens. In a season flush with exciting opportunities for Sheridan County’s teenagers, don’t let the rush of these opportunities drown out the essential practice of healthy sleep.
This article originally appeared in The Sheridan Press on August 29, 2026.