Helping Teens Sleep Better: The Connection Between Devices and Healthy Habits

Sleep isn’t just about avoiding groggy mornings—it’s a foundation for mental health, focus, and overall well-being. Well-rested teens manage stress better, learn more effectively, and make healthier decisions (American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 2016). 

Yet, many teens struggle to get enough sleep. Biological changes make it harder to fall asleep early, school schedules cut into natural rhythms, and—let’s face it—screens often get in the way.

That’s where Aura comes in. Instead of simply telling parents to "limit screen time," Aura helps track how device habits are supporting (or interfering) with three important aspects of sleep—total time for sleep, regular sleep schedule, and quality of sleep –giving families the insights they need to make small, but meaningful device behavior changes.

Aura’s Sleep Window: Understanding How Device Use Impacts Total Sleep Time

The total sleep time a teen gets is one of the most important markers of sleep health. Teens aged 13–18 need 8–10 hours of sleep per night (AASM, 2016), but only about 23% of teens regularly meet this target (CDC National Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 2021).

Devices can interfere with total sleep time in a few ways:

• More late-night online time can delay when your teen falls asleep
• Some research suggests blue light exposure from screens may delay melatonin production, making it harder for teens to fall asleep (Silvani et al., 2022).
• Additionally, the mental stimulation of scrolling or gaming keeps their brains alert when they need to wind down.

How Aura Helps:

Aura’s Sleep Window measures your teen’s total offline time each night, letting you know whether device habits are cutting into vital sleep time. By tracking late-night usage patterns, Aura highlights when screens might be a barrier to getting enough rest.

Aura’s Device Downtime Habits: Building Consistent Sleep Routines

Beyond total sleep time, consistent schedules matter. Teens who have a consistent bedtime and wake up at roughly the same time each daytime feel more alert and well-rested, even if their total sleep time is the same (Walsh et al., 2025). Experts use the Sleep Regularity Index (SRI) to measure how consistent a sleep schedule is—because even if teens get enough sleep overall, inconsistent sleep times can disrupt the body’s circadian rhythm, reduce sleep quality, and may even contribute to more depressive symptoms (Castiglione‐Fontanellaz et al., 2023).

But teens’ biological clocks are shifting – so might not actually be tired when they try to negotiate a later bedtime. Their bodies naturally resist early bedtimes (Kelley et al. 2015; Tarokh et al., 2016). Early school schedules cut into their natural sleep cycles, inconsistent sleep habits—like staying up late on weekends—can leave teens constantly playing catch-up on sleep.

How Aura Helps:

Aura’s Device Downtime Habits track the first and last device use each day, helping parents see whether inconsistent device habits might be reinforcing irregular sleep patterns. By identifying trends, Aura offers insights into where small shifts could improve overall more consistent sleep schedules.

Sleep Fragmentation: The Hidden Disruptor

Even when teens get enough sleep, interrupted sleep can reduce its quality. Experts measure two key interruptions

•  NAWK (Number of Awakenings) – How many times a teen wakes up during the night.
• WASO (Wake After Sleep Onset) – How long those awakenings last.

Together, these metrics show sleep fragmentation, which reduces teen’s sleep quality even if TST looks fine (Bruce et al, 2017). 

Frequent interruptions—whether from stress, phone notifications, or the habit of checking a phone in the middle of the night—can prevent teens from reaching the deep, restorative stages of sleep (Pesonen et al, 2019). Devices can worsen sleep fragmentation.Frequent nighttime notifications or the habit of checking a phone during the night increases both NAWK and WASO. This can prevent teens from reaching the deeper stages of sleep important for brain function (e.g., learning and daytime focus) and emotional and physical health.

How Aura Helps:

Aura’s Overnight Usage tracks the frequency and duration of screen use overnight, helping families identify whether device habits are causing sleep fragmentation. By surfacing these trends, Aura fills a critical gap in understanding how devices impact real sleep quality.

Tips to Support Healthy Sleep Habits

By understanding the science of sleep and how device behaviors impact it, you can better support your teen in building healthier habits. With Aura, you have the tools to bridge the gap between technology and well-being—because great sleep starts with great habits. A few general principles to keep in mind include:

• Model good habits: Teens often mirror their parents' behaviors, even when it seems like they’re not paying attention. By unplugging an hour before bed or prioritizing a consistent bedtime yourself, you show them that healthy habits are achievable and important. Research shows that parental modeling significantly influences adolescents' health-related behaviors, including sleep routines.
• Encourage balance: Teens have busy schedules—school, homework, extracurriculars, and socializing all compete for their time. Asking for dramatic changes can feel overwhelming, but small, flexible adjustments (like starting with 30 minutes of screen-free time instead of an hour) make a big difference. Flexibility also respects that exceptions will happen, helping you focus on progress over perfection.
• Collaborate: Adolescents crave autonomy, and involving them in decisions builds buy-in. By asking your teen what they need to feel ready for bed, you empower them to take ownership of their routines. Working together to create calming pre-sleep habits, like reading or journaling, strengthens your relationship and makes them more likely to follow through.

Sources:

Bruce, E. S., Lunt, L., & McDonagh, J. E. (2017). Sleep in adolescents and young adults. Clinical medicine, 17(5), 424-428.

Castiglione‐Fontanellaz, C. E., Schaufler, S., Wild, S., Hamann, C., Kaess, M., & Tarokh, L. (2023). Sleep regularity in healthy adolescents: Associations with sleep duration, sleep quality, and mental health. Journal of sleep research, 32(4), e13865.

Kelley, P., Lockley, S. W., Foster, R. G., & Kelley, J. (2015). Synchronizing education to adolescent biology:‘let teens sleep, start school later’. Learning, Media and Technology, 40(2), 210-226.

Pesonen, A. K., Gradisar, M., Kuula, L., Short, M., Merikanto, I., Tark, R., ... & Lahti, J. (2019). REM sleep fragmentation associated with depressive symptoms and genetic risk for depression in a community-based sample of adolescents. Journal of affective disorders, 245, 757-763.

Silvani, M. I., Werder, R., & Perret, C. (2022). The influence of blue light on sleep, performance and wellbeing in young adults: A systematic review. Frontiers in physiology, 13, 943108.

Tarokh, L., Saletin, J. M., & Carskadon, M. A. (2016). Sleep in adolescence: Physiology, cognition and mental health. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 70, 182-188.

Walsh, R. F., Maddox, M. A., Smith, L. T., Olino, T., Zee, P. C., Nusslock, R., & Alloy, L. B. (2025). Sleep regularity in adolescents: Associations with sleep, rest–activity indices, and prospective substance use and depression. Journal of Sleep Research, e14468. DOI: 10.1111/jsr.14468