Many teens have sleep problems and do not get the sleep that they require. This can negatively affect their daily lives placing them at an increased risk of accidents and/or injury, negative moods (including anger, irritability, sadness, and fear), low grades and poor focus and attention, and increased likelihood of stimulant use, like caffeine or nicotine. Lack of sleep can also cause headaches, stomachaches or other physical problems.
Here are some ideas on how to get the sleep you need:
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Develop bedtime rituals. A bedtime ritual is a powerful “cue” that it is time for sleep. It is important to maintain a consistent pattern of quiet activities around bedtime to help you fall asleep better. Some examples to help you relax are: a warm bath or shower, reading, yoga or other stretching, lavender or other essential oils (either as a lotion, bath soap, or spray on the bedding), writing in a journal, playing Sudoku, or any activity that relaxes you.
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Pay attention to your sleep environment. Background noise, location, bedding, and lighting can all affect a person’s ability to fall asleep. A cool, dark, quiet room is best.
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Limit time in bed. Hours spent awake in bed interfere with good sleep patterns. Make the bedroom a sleep only zone. Limit TV, computers, and other electronics, especially the hour or so before lights out. Try to find an alternative location in the house to do homework.
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Establish consistent waking and bed times. Many teens have irregular schedules and have different bed times on the weekdays and weekends. Try to maintain a regular waking time for all days of the week. Waking times are more potent than bed times in establishing sleep rhythms. If you are having difficulty falling asleep, you may need to start with a later bedtime and slowly change it to an earlier time. Some people suffer from delayed sleep phase disorder and actually require a later bedtime. In order to reestablish a “normal” schedule that allows them to go to work or school, they need to reset their bedtime forward by about 2 hours each night until they reach a regular schedule.
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Avoid caffeinated drinks!!! Caffeine is a potent stimulant, present in a wide range of beverages. It can affect/remain in your system even longer than 24 hours, making it difficult to get quality sleep.
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Turn off the cell phone! Interrupted sleep is not quality sleep.
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Be active during the day. You've probably noticed how much running around little kids do — and how soundly they sleep. Take a tip from a toddler and get at least 60 minutes of exercise a day. Physical activity can decrease stress and help people feel more relaxed. Just don't work out too close to bedtime because exercise can wake you up before it slows you down.
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Expect a good night's sleep. Stress can trigger insomnia, so the more you agonize about not sleeping, the greater the risk you'll lie awake staring at the ceiling. Instead of worrying that you won't sleep, remind yourself that you can. Say, "Tonight, I will sleep well" several times during the day. It can also help to practice breathing exercises or gentle yoga poses before bed.
If you try all of these changes, and are still having sleep issues, make an appointment with your provider to rule-out any medical causes for your sleep problems and to discuss possible alternative solutions.
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