A great article on why power naps can be beneficial when making decisions and learning. The teen sleep cycle changes during and after puberty. The melatonin level that tells a person that he/she is getting tired changes in adolescence. The level will not rise until later in the evening, thus the teen may not feel tired around "bedtime." He/she may feel awake past midnight. The melatonin stays in their system until later in the morning, maybe as late as 10am. This discovery has led some schools to push back their start times. They recognize that students are not "wide awake" in the early classes.
Naps Clear Brain's Inbox, Improve Learning
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Monday, March 8, 2010
The Age of Adolescence
Just so we are all the same page, researchers have (re-)defined the period of adolescence from 10 to 25 years of age. YIKES!!!! Whatever happened to becoming a teenager when there was a "teen" at the end of your birthday - thirteen, sweet sixteen, nineteen. Since when are 10 year olds, our innocent third or fourth graders, considered to be at risk for those crazy teen behaviors? Thanks to brain scans and related technologies, researchers are marking a change in brain development that may start as early as 10 years old. If you thought PUBERTY defined adolescence, then you may be even more surprised to hear that puberty, especially in girls, can start as early as 7 years old.
Similar brain scans and the same technologies show that the brain fully "matures" during a person's mid-20s. Now, I know what you may be thinking: there are a lot of people older than 25 who aren't mature. This may be true, and I may know some of the same people, but remember, we are talking brain development.
Similar brain scans and the same technologies show that the brain fully "matures" during a person's mid-20s. Now, I know what you may be thinking: there are a lot of people older than 25 who aren't mature. This may be true, and I may know some of the same people, but remember, we are talking brain development.
Welcome!
I'm so glad you are taking the time to visit this blog! The amazing and exciting world of adolescent brain development is changing how we look at today's teens.
From brain scans, one-to-one interviews, focus groups to chat rooms, blogs, and YouTube videos, we are learning an enormous amount about what it means to be an adolescent.
If the youth truly are our future then we better get to know them - how they think, how they feel, what they are saying, where do they live, what is important, why they act so strange sometimes and how we can continue to love them through it all.
Stay in touch by following this blog. Sign up by clicking the "Follow" link at the top of the page.
From brain scans, one-to-one interviews, focus groups to chat rooms, blogs, and YouTube videos, we are learning an enormous amount about what it means to be an adolescent.
If the youth truly are our future then we better get to know them - how they think, how they feel, what they are saying, where do they live, what is important, why they act so strange sometimes and how we can continue to love them through it all.
Stay in touch by following this blog. Sign up by clicking the "Follow" link at the top of the page.
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