DR. WALLACE: I'm in a lot of activities at school, and I am also a good student. Sometimes I study until midnight or later. This causes my parents to wonder if I'm getting enough sleep. I average roughly seven and a half hours per night. This seems enough to keep me alert during the day. My parents average less sleep than that for sure.

How much sleep should teens get per night? I'm positive I'm getting my share, because I function pretty well at school and at home. Oh, and by the way, I also sleep the same amount on the weekends. I do have a few friends who tell me that they like to sleep in on the weekends, but I pretty much get up and go to bed at the same time each day. — Sound Sleeper, via email

SOUND SLEEPER: While no two people appear to require the exact same amount of sleep — and maybe you can get by on less shut-eye than the average teen — I share your parents' concern.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, teens need about eight to 10 hours of sleep each night to function best. Most teens do not get enough sleep. One study found that only 15% reported sleeping eight and a half hours on school nights. So, you are close to the target range, but still a little light. You might consider trying to sleep eight hours a night to see if you notice any improvements to your health and focus.

GIVE THIS 'TOUGH' TEACHER A CHANCE

DR. WALLACE: I don't like my English teacher. She is too strict and gives too much homework. She is also a very hard grader. A person must do A-quality work just to get a B. My sister had this teacher two years ago and feels the same way I do.

I went to my counselor and asked for a transfer to another English class, but my counselor refused my request. I told my counselor that he'd be hearing from my mother about this. He told me he wouldn't change my class, even if my father were the president of the school district.

What's the big deal about changing a class when a student and teacher don't see eye to eye? If I'm not learning in the class, why can't I have a chance at learning from another teacher? No wonder most kids don't enjoy going to school. — Frustrated Student, via email

FRUSTRATED STUDENT: Counselors rarely remove a student from a class just because the student doesn't like the teacher. If that were permitted, high school scheduling would be chaos. It looks like you're stuck where are you are — but be aware that learning is possible, even under circumstances that seem unpleasant at first.

Instead of experiencing a sense of frustration all semester, give the teacher a chance, and see what she has to impart. There are far worse faults for a teacher to have than being considered a tough grader. Study hard, and feel proud of the grade you earn, whatever it is. Most importantly, see how much you can learn, because you will be spending many hours of your life in that class.

You may wind up gaining language skills you'll value the rest of your life. And who knows, you might find the information you absorb in that class helpful to your future career or personal life.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at rwallace@thegreatestgift.com. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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