Kaiser Permanente Sacramento pediatrician outlines importance of sleep for kids, teens

SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

Children and teens largely aren’t getting enough sleep, according to Dr. Candace Jones, a pediatrician with Kaiser Permanente.

Jones explained that poor sleep habits can have a significant impact on children's physical, mental and emotional health.

"The bottom line is children are not getting enough sleep," Jones said. "Upwards of seven out of 10 high schoolers are not getting enough sleep on school nights. And for the middle schoolers, six out of ten and the younger ones, one in three are not getting enough sleep."

Jones detailed the consequences of insufficient sleep, including increased stress, anxiety and a higher risk of obesity.

"It can affect their emotional health, for example, just feeling more stress, more worrying anxiety," she said. "It can impact thei