A GENERATION of sleep-deprived teenagers is not what society needs.

Blink and these exhausted, overstimulated youngsters will be adults charged with making ­responsible decisions, whether they’re equipped to or not. Young people who don’t get enough sleep miss out on major developmental milestones that enable empathy, respect, reasoning and self-control. Without the nine to 10 hours a night experts say teens require, they can be not only ratty and rebellious but their ability to make wise choices is compromised. Today’s teens are tackling enough already, what with the pressures of social media and ready access to illicit drugs.

Why allow them to face challenges exhausted?

via OPINION: Sleepy teens hit the bum notes in life | The Courier-Mail.