When your children are young, you wish they would sleep in, giving you a few more hours of shuteye. However, by the time they are teenagers, you may feel like you are having to pry them out of their beds every morning! They go to bed later, and they have difficulty waking up in the morning.
What is going on?
Are teens just being lazy?
The answer is, “no.” Studies have shown that teenagers’ brains are different from that of younger children and from adults as well. In fact, the time of puberty is when sleep changes become evident. Because teens’ bodies are undergoing so many physical and emotional changes, their need for sleep is more than the average adult. Between nine and ten hours are required every night.
What sleep changes occur in teens?
The circadian rhythm (or internal body clock), that tells you when you should be sleeping and when you should wake up, is delayed in teens. Research has confirmed this. So instead of going to bed at 8 or 9 p.m., teens aren’t sleepy until 10 or 11 p.m. This then results in waking up later too.
What problems does this pose for teens?
It can be a challenge for teens to wake up in time for school. And if they do make it on time to school, daytime drowsiness is common. This leads to problems concentrating in class, and with registering and remembering things taught by the teacher. Therefore, you may notice a drop in their grades.
You may also see other signs such as irritability, mood swings, and depression. Depression and poor sleep are highly correlated, and if you suspect your teen may be depressed, speak to your child’s physician immediately.
What other things affect the sleep of teens?
In addition to changes in their bodies, teens are also caught between childhood and adulthood. They have more responsibilities and stresses that may include jobs after school or on weekends, more homework, and extracurricular activities like dance and sports. In addition, they may be going out with their friends and staying out late. If they are smoking nicotine, consuming alcohol, or using drugs, this will also negatively impact their sleep even more.
Tips for parents to help their teens get better sleep:
Teach them the importance of sleep – From a young age, it is important to tell your children why sleep is so important. It’s just like teaching them that eating healthy foods and exercise are important. The best way to teach them, is to model it yourself.
Limit technological device use at least an hour to 90 minutes before bedtime – Smartphones, computers, televisions, video games, etc. should be turned off to avoid the blue light emitted from them. This will allow melatonin – the sleep hormone – to be produced in the body, and it will make it easier to fall asleep and have better quality sleep. Further avoidance of blue light is possible by using amber-colored glasses in the evenings, as well as the use of red lightbulbs in the bedroom.
Help teens with their schedules – Another important part of parenting and helping teens get the sleep they need, is to help them plan out their schedules. Teens are inexperienced at prioritizing tasks, and your guidance is necessary. Help them plan their work schedules, homework, extra-curricular activities, socializing, household chores, etc. Perhaps, they can work on the weekend instead of on weeknights, so that they have more time for homework. It may even be necessary to drop some things in order that sleep is not put on the back burner.
Allow time to relax before bedtime – Do not schedule things right up until bedtime. In the last hour before bedtime, teach your teen to do something relaxing such as having a bath or reading a book in a quiet atmosphere. Keep the home quiet, and calm, as much as possible.
Allow sunlight exposure in the morning – Parents can open up the curtains in their teen’s bedroom in the morning to let the natural light in. This will help the teen’s body wake up.
Keep naps short – A teen may want to have a nap after school, but it should be limited to no more than 30 minutes. Any longer, and it is more likely to make it harder to fall asleep at bedtime or to delay bedtime even more.
Maintain a schedule – Even on weekends, teens need to stay on a schedule. This means not sleeping in more than two hours past regular weekday wake times. This ensures that the body’s internal clock stays on schedule.
Explore starting school later – Some schools offer later starts, or spares may be able to be scheduled for first thing in the school day so that the teen can get an extra hour of sleep in the morning. College and university classes can also be scheduled for later in the morning.