Turn alarm clocks towards the wall or cover them up. Use dark window coverings to block light from the outdoors. Keep the bedroom dark at bedtime, and bright at wakingĭarkness stimulates the body to produce melatonin – the hormone that causes sleepiness. It is best to keep the television and computer in a separate room and have the focus in the bedroom be on sleep.Ĭaffeine (soda, tea, coffee, chocolate) and other stimulants should be avoided from early afternoon on to avoid disrupting sleep.Ĥ. Remove the television and computer from the bedroomĪny light before bedtime – including the light from a television or computer screen can disrupt the body’s ability to initiate sleep. Compromise on a reasonable bedtime – one that allows time in the evening for activities but also allows for adequate sleep each night.Ģ. Going to bed at the same time every night trains our body to fall asleep more easily and to sleep more soundly. Anger or moodiness when confronted about sleep issuesĮstablishing appropriate sleep-time rituals is the first step to encouraging healthy sleep in teens.Įstablish a regular bedtime and stick to it.Late night video game or television watching.Use of caffeinated beverages (cola, tea or coffee) or “energy drinks” to stay awake at night.Signs that a teen may be sleep deprived rather than suffering from insomnia include: These teens are choosing to sleep less, prioritizing other activities by sacrificing sleep. For some teens part-time jobs, homework, social activities, computer games, television, social media sites and other behaviours are keeping teens up late – beyond the point where their bodies and minds are tired. These include:īiologically determined circadian rhythms are keeping teens up later – but biology doesn’t take all the blame. There are many signs that can identify sleep disorders in teens. It is clear that these conditions are affecting the health of teens and that identification and treatment of insomnia in teens is an important health goal. It is unclear whether insomnia leads to anxiety and depression or if the reverse is true. Although in adults these conditions are more common in females, in teens insomnia is equally as likely to affect boys as girls. Mood disorders and sleepĭisturbed sleep is associated with mood disorders in teens – teens with insomnia are more likely to be depressed or anxious, and anxious or depressed teens are more likely to have insomnia. Combined with an early waking time for school it is nearly impossible for most teens to get the necessary 8.5 to 9.5 hours of sleep each night. This means that teens often have difficulty falling asleep early and tend to stay up later at night.

However, the hormone that is responsible for causing feelings of sleepiness (melatonin) is produced later in teens than in children and adults. Teens need, on average 8.5 to 9.5 hours of sleep per night. Sleep patterns in teens are different than those of children and adults. Major changes in sleep patterns happen during the teen years. So why are teens losing sleep? Sleep patterns in teens This means that insomnia is just as common in teens as depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. Often parents recognize when their teens are sleeping too late – waking at noon or later, but insomnia in teens often goes unnoticed.Īn article in the journal Sleep suggests that 12.5% of teens experience insomnia and that in almost half of those teens the insomnia is chronic. There is no question that teens need their sleep. By Lisa Watson Integrative Medicine Mental Health Optimal Energy Teens

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