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Innovating People Solutions |
Volume . 14 Issue 1 . August 2007 |
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| Sleep tips for teens |
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Sleeping difficulties commonly arise due to physical, mental and social changes taking place in your teenager’s life. The pressures of school homework, part-time jobs, relationships with friends, social activities and a host of fluctuating emotions can make it difficult for your teenager to relax at night. In addition to this, their natural sleeping cycle (circadian rhythm) may be out of balance, making it difficult for them to fall to sleep at night and wake up early in the morning. |
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Did you know?
A National Sleep Foundation (NSF) survey of adolescents in the US aged 11 to 17 years, found that 80% don’t get the recommended nine hours of sleep during the week. |
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As teenagers mature, their bodies over produce a sleep hormone called melatonin. This helps them physically adapt to growth spurts, but also causes them to be alert late at night and fatigued in the morning. This sleep imbalance can lead to an inability to concentrate at school, decreased enthusiasm for sport and other physical or social activities, and a decrease in general performance standards. In addition, it may affect their behaviour making them irritable and moody.
You can read more information on adolescent sleep problems on the Mayo Clinic website
Sleep - how much is enough?
Most teenagers need 8.5 to 10 hours of sleep a night to feel rested and energetic. Getting less sleep (even for a couple of nights) can leave them feeling drowsy, irritable, forgetful, and more likely to make mistakes.
Sleep deprivation can lead to serious health problems and research shows it may suppress the immune system. It is not uncommon for people who have chronic sleep issues to also have conditions such as asthma or diabetes. If your teenager has a sleep issue, it can also affect their metabolism, making them gain weight more easily
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A bedtime routine
Teenagers benefit from following a bedtime routine just as young children and adults do. By adopting a routine they can train their mind and body to feel relaxed and ready to fall asleep in response to ‘triggers’. The process doesn’t need to be complicated or take a lot of time - taking a warm bath, listening to calming music, drinking a cup of warm milk or reading often promotes sleepiness. What’s important is your teenager develops a routine that works for them and is easy to follow every night. However, if your teenagerchild has an unpredictable weekly schedule which causes their sleeping times to vary, creating a routine may be challenging.
Assist your teenager to map out a study and assignment plan so the necessity to stay up late to complete homework or study for an exam is less frequent. Make sure their plan includes some relaxation time between study and bedtime, so they have time to unwind before going to sleep.
Refer to the website; about parenting teens for more information about bedtime routines for teenagers. Your teenager may even refuse the idea of a bedtime routine and schedule, preferring to stay up late to study or talk on the phone with friends. In this instance it might help to suggest they see a doctor for a professional opinion and advice on their sleeping habits.
Sleep tips for your teenager
Share these tips with your teenager to ensure they get a better night’s sleep. They may find it helpful to:
• Get regular exercise, but not three hours before bedtime. Daily exercise can help teenagers get to sleep faster and to sleep more deeply, but exercise too close to bedtime can have a stimulating effect.
• Avoid or limit caffeine five hours before bedtime. Teenagers often enjoy drinks such as tea, coffee and soft drinks which contain caffeine. Some common painkillers also include caffeine in their ingredients – even as much as 130 milligrams in a two tablet dose. Encourage your teenager to avoid (or limit) caffeine based drinks five hours before bedtime and if they need to take painkillers regularly, get your doctor to recommend an alternative that won’t affect their sleep.
• Avoid alcohol and drugs. Ensure your teenager knows the risks associated with drug and alcohol use. Apart from the psychological and health risks, alcohol and drugs will also affect their sleep patterns, and their consumption will most certainly affect their quality of sleeep.
• Have the evening meal at least two hours before they going to bed. Eating a late meal too close to bedtime can create high levels of stomach acid that will keep your teenager awake. Make sure they eat early in the night, and if they are still hungry afterwards, give them a light snack or glass of milk if it’s close to their bedtime.
• Complete tasks early in the afternoon or evening. Study, sport training, homework or music practice are activities that stimulate the mind and body, making it harder to relax and fall asleep. Encourage your teenager to complete all their tasks soon after returning home from school, so they have time to relax before bedtime.
• Avoid over-stimulation. If your teenagerchild watches television, listens to music or plays computer games in the evening, negotiate a schedule with them to ensure they have some rest time for at least 1 hour before bedtime, rather than going straight to bed when they are still feeling over-stimulated.
• Don’t deviate from the bedtime routine on weekends. Your teenager may revert to habits of staying up late at night and waking up late on the weekend. This will make returning to school during the week more challenging, particularly on Monday morning. It’s OK to allow your teenager some flexibility with their routine on the weekends, but ensure they don’t get over-tired or change their weekday routine as a consequence. A summary of sleep tips can be found at http://www.simmons.com/betterSleepBasics/brochures/18255_BSTS%20Teens%20Tips.pdf.
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