Caffeine, Screens & Teen Sleep: What’s Really Keeping Teens Awake – EP 31 w/ Dr. Christina Calamaro

Dr. Christina J. Calamaro, PhD, PPCNP-BC, FNP-BC, FAANP, FAAN, is a nurse scientist and expert in adolescent sleep and health. She serves as the Director of Nursing and Allied Health Research and Evidence-Based Practice at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and is an Associate Professor at Emory University’s Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing.

Her research focuses on how lifestyle factors such as caffeine consumption, technology use, and daily routines affect sleep, academic performance, and overall well-being in adolescents. Dr. Calamaro’s work has contributed to a deeper understanding of the growing sleep challenges facing teens and how to address them through research, education, and practical interventions.

In this episode, Ryan speaks with Dr. Christina Calamaro, a leading researcher in adolescent sleep and health at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University. Dr. Calamaro’s work focuses on how behaviors like caffeine consumption and technology use impact sleep patterns, learning, and overall well-being in teenagers.

The conversation explores why so many teens are not getting enough sleep, how sleep deprivation affects academic performance and daily functioning, and the surprising levels of caffeine consumption among adolescents. Dr. Calamaro also breaks down the complex relationship between screen time, stimulation, and sleep disruption, and shares insights on which factors matter most.

They also discuss the real-world consequences of sleep loss, including safety risks and long-term health effects, and what parents, schools, and teens can do to create healthier habits in an increasingly demanding and connected world.

This episode offers a clear, research-backed look at one of the most important and overlooked challenges facing young people today.