Individuals are always individuals so maybe your son is an exception to the general rule that - yes, indeed, teenagers need around 9 hours sleep a night, give or take a little. You can tell if your son needs more sleep by looking for signs of sleep deprivation - if you don't find them, then he's O.K. Here are some to look out for:

• red eyes
• yawning frequently
• irritable behavior, lack of patience, moodiness, oversensitivity
  
• forgetfulness
• marks sliding
• making more errors
• having a struggle getting up in the morning

If you see these kinds of signs, have a talk with your son and let him know what you've found. Tell him that these are all signs of sleep deprivation and the situation needs to be corrected.   Sarah Chana