Generations: The Real Differences Between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers, and Silents—and What They Mean for America's Future

by Jean M. Twenge

While only 55% of teens in 2018 regularly slept seven or more hours a night, 85% of teens in spring 2020 did so. With most schools in virtual mode, teens did not have to get up early to commute to school, so many got more sleep. Since sleep-deprived teens are more likely to be depressed, getting more sleep might have helped mitigate the negatives of the pandemic after the initial shock of the change had passed. Teens might also have appreciated getting a break from the treadmill of going to school and participating in activities, allowing them to slow down and take a break during the early pandemic months. Teens also spent more time with their families. Two out of 3 teens said their families had become closer during the pandemic, and more than half said they were spending more time talking to their families than before the pandemic. Teens also used technology in ways more conducive to better mental health.