how much sleep does your teenage daughter get?

[RubySparks]

Concerned that 15 year old DD is oversleeping! She can go to bed at 10 and not wake until midday or 1pm (on a weekend). This causes problems on school days where she goes to bed at 9/10 but massively struggles to get up for school. She is supposed to leave about 10 to 8 but usually isn't up to get bus and ends up being driven and usually arriving late. It is rare she gets to school every day, she definitely is late 2/3 days per week.

The days she does get up early enough to get to school, she will quite likely need a sleep when she gets home about 4pm! This has been going on for at least a year with little change. Bloods were done last year but showed nothing (full blood count, coeliac test not sure what else).

I am pretty sure she isn't staying up late without us knowing - we have poor internet so tend to know when anyone is using it!

Is this just a growing stage, hormones, or something else?

[Ticktacktock]

I would go back to the docs and tell him what you've told us. Does she have headaches, swollen glands, or anything else?

[RubySparks]

Thanks Tick. Only occasional headache, no swollen glands, does sometimes say her legs hurt after going round shops. She went back to doc yesterday and to be honest they just made me feel stupid! So interesting that your first response is to go back to GP's! That at least makes me think I'm not daft to be worried about this.

I have coeliac and hypothroidism so know well the feeling of exhaustion and dragging myself out of bed so just can't ignore it when I see her struggling.

[RJnomore1]

Mines is exactly the same. Bloods etc all clear too. As a toddlers he slept all the time so I think it's just that body going too fast thing again.

[RubySparks]

Thanks RJ that is a little reassuring too. She has another blood test on Tuesday so will do that and see, I know they are checking diabetes too this time (my DSis has type 1) so if those are OK again then we will be looking at limiting screen time, getting outside more, exercise, improved diet and vitamin D supplement!

[HermioneJeanGranger]

I was like that as a teenager, I think it's pretty normal, especially if she's going through a growth-spurt. Is she getting enough iron?

[MyballsareSandy2015]

My 15 year old is like this, woke her up at 2pm last weekend! The only diff is she doesn't nap after school. I think it's quite normal but go back to GP if you're worried.

[MyballsareSandy2015]

Her diet is shocking though despite me providing healthy meals. She's always buying sweets, fizz, chips, pizza. Someone in her group always seems to have money.

[Helenluvsrob]

Not enough !

[dodobookends]

Interesting, OP - I was immediately thinking thyroid and then I read your post about your own thyroid issues. Has she been tested for that?

My dd 16 - bed at 10, up at 6.45 during the week, Sat night bed at midnight, maybe lie-in on Sunday till 11ish.

[RubySparks]

I think thyroid was tested in last lot of blood tests and supposedly 'fine', I wasn't able to get a printout. I was quite similar as a teen but then I think I had undiagnosed coeliac from a very young age!

[RubySparks]

I think they checked for anaemia too so iron also OK. Her diet is reasonable, she eats a lot of fruit but also snacks on biscuits especially when she gets in from school. Often misses breakfast due to not enough time because of sleeping late....

6.45 is really impressive for getting up! Her brother could do that and hardly ever missed a day of high school.

[JustDanceAddict]

DD is 13.5. She goes to bed around 10pm on a school night and up around 6.45am for school. On the weekends she can go from 10pm-midnight depending on what she's doing. She's generally up between 8.30-10am depending on how tired. If she's had a run of late nights she has been known to get up nearer midday, but it's not a regular occurrence. She must still be growing as she's permanently hungry and very slim still (although over 5ft5).