Today's teenagers tend to burn the candle at both ends. But that 'burn out' can be serious. Sleep deprevation is effecting more and more kids and it can be dangerous. News Specialist Kelley Day has more with advise for parents who have tired kids:

If your teenager wants to stay up all night and sleep all day, well, you're probably thinking - great, I've got a lazy teenager. But that may not be the case, your child may suffer from a condition called Sleep Phase Delay.

But you and your child CAN fight back. You don't have to be "Sleepless in Salt Lake."

Dr. Christopher Jones/U of U Sleep Disorders Center ((BOY WAS HE IRRITABLE, WITHDRAWN, NOT FUN TO BE WITH, APATHETIC, KEPT FALLING ASLEEP ALL THE TIME.))

Sound like your teenager? They may have sleep phase delay. That means their major sleep episode is shifted; they go to bed late and want to sleep late. But doctors at the U of U sleep disorders center say, they may be biologically proned to that condition.

((FOR SOME REASON THE CHANGES OF ADOLESENCE DO SEEM TO PRODUCE SLEEP PHASE DELAY THAT'S BIOLOGICALLY BASED.))

But it can also be re-inforced by social behaviors. Kids of the 90's pack their schedules with school, work and sports, and then they're faced with more activity at night and bright light. We do know bright light supresses brain hormones which promote sleep.

((WE HAVE ELECTRIC LIGHTS AND TV'S AND STORES AND MALLS OPEN 24 HOURS A DAY NOW AND MOVIE THEATERS, THINGS THAT WEREN'T AVAILABLE 100 YEARS AGO.))

The major concern with sleep deprived teenagers is they're not performing at school. Sleepy people don't pay attention and they don't remember things well. But more importantly, they're in danger on the road.

((WHAT MOST KIDS DON'T KNOW IS THAT THE MOST DANGEROUS PERSON ON THE ROAD, IN TERMS OF FALLING ASLEEP, IS NOT THE ELDERLY--IT'S THE YOUNG MALE. THE 18 TO 28 YEAR OLD MALE WHO FALLS ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL. THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WE NEED TO EDUCATE THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO PUSH THEMSELVES TO THE LIMIT.))

So what can you do to help your teenager?

- Use light therapy. Bright light should be exposed early in the morning and then dim light in the evening.

- Regulate their schedule. Make sure they go to bed and wake up at about the same time every day.

- Decrease naps.

- Cut caffeine, it keeps you awake.

- And cut alcohol, it promotes restless sleep.

Doctors at the University of Utah Sleep disorders center are also concerned about depression. Depressed teenagers have a harder time sleeping and sleepy teenagers are more easily depressed. A vicious cycle that can spiral out of control if it's not corrected quickly.