By Frances E. Jensen, MD
Anyone who has a teenager knows you are often left wondering what’s going on in that head of theirs. As parents, we try to guide our children from the day they are born. Some of us already have teens in our households so we set out on a journey to understand the science behind our children’s behavior in the hopes of making sense of it all.
There have been so many books published on this subject, but we decided to highlight one with not only medical proof behind it, but also from the perspective of a single mom. Author Frances E. Jensen, MD perfectly explains her journey of raising sons in the book The Teenage Brain. A neurologist herself, Dr. Jensen honestly explains and realistically answers so many common questions that can help us all better understand those difficult teen years. Here are some highlights, but you’ll definitely want to pick up this book immediately to find out more!
Why does my teen sleep so much?
If they are allowed to sleep as much as they want, teens usually get 9-10 hours per night. But waking up for school can be difficult along with going to bed early. On average teens lose 2.75 hours per night from the age of 11 to 18, which causes chronic sleep deprivation syndrome. Only 15% of American teens get around 9 hours of sleep per night. Sleep is a crucial part of their brain and learning development.
Why does my teen blow up at any sign of stress?
The outbursts of anger, tears, poutiness, withdrawal, irritability, and hostility along with overexcitement and bursts of enthusiasm are a regular occurrence for teens. Overall, teens are less protected compared to adults due to the way they respond to the stress hormone THP, a steroid created in the body in response to stress when progesterone is metabolized. Because teens are not fully accessing their frontal lobes, other areas of the brain can overreact and cause more extreme impressions. Adrenaline and cortisol contribute to a teen’s emotional response as well. So, the short answer is hormones.
What is the difference between male and female teenagers?
Male teens have more connections within the same hemispheres of the brain while females have more interconnection between the left and right hemispheres. Because of the better connections between these areas of the brain that females have, girls may have a greater ability to switch between tasks than boys. According to research, in general, females have superior language abilities compared to males. Although males scored well on tests, their accuracy depends on other senses to make decisions, which means they make decisions using different parts of their brains than females do. The amygdala, where emotions arise, develops 18 months earlier for girls than boys. Learning specialists also indicate boys take longer to develop their organizational and attention skills than girls.
Why do teens make bad decisions?
Research indicates teenagers access their still-maturing frontal lobes to make decisions. This impairs their ability to comprehend their actions, any consequences, and other challenging issues. Teens engage the hippocampus and right amygdala when faced with a threat or dangerous situation, which is why they are prone to emotional and impulsive behaviors. Adults use their prefrontal cortex which allows them to more easily assess the threat.
There’s science and then there are real-life situations that we, as parents, are all trying to guide our children through from the minute they are born until their adult lives. This is a fantastic read for all teen parents out there seeking some information and examples they can use from an honest author and parent.
