By Jane Parent and Diana Simeon
Does anyone get enough sleep? Are all of our teens sleep-deprived?
More than one study has found that the majority of teenagers are not
getting anywhere near the
recommended 8.5 to 9.5 hours a night, thanks to a variety of factors, including school start times before 8:00 a.m.
Sleep is a cornerstone of wellness for all of us, but especially for
teenagers. “Getting by with six or seven hours is fraught with peril,”
says Dr. John Schuen, a pulmonologist with Spectrum Health in Grand
Rapids, Michigan, who’s worked on pediatric sleep issues for more than
two decades. Indeed, the list of risks for sleep-deprived teens is
long—and
ugly. Not only do tired teenagers do worse at school,
they’re also at risk for higher rates of obesity, mental health issues,
and substance abuse issues.
Sleep-Deprived Teens
This school year, why not help sleep-deprived teens get more sleep? We’ve got 7 top tips to help.
1. No screens at bedtime
You’ve heard this before, but the bottom line is that screens and
sleep do not mix. In fact, there’s mounting evidence that screens cut
into sleep by as much as an hour per night. The truth is that for many
teenagers it can be tempting to be on their devices late into the night.
What’s more, the light emitted by a screen is like a wake-up call for
our brains. “It stimulates the centers in our brain that help us stay
alert during the day,” explains Schuen. Some teenagers can turn off
their devices on their own. “Others may need a parent to step in,” he
says.
2. Limit sleepovers to Friday nights
Think of staying up late at a sleepover like flying coast to coast.
Your teenager will be jet-lagged. “Even though you can physically move
your sleep clock by staying up later, your natural sleep clock can only
move about an hour a night,” explains Schuen. “That’s why we get jet
lag.” So by sticking with Friday nights for sleepovers, your teen has
Saturday and Sunday night to recover before having to get up for school
on Monday.
3. No caffeine
Teenagers are much more sensitive to caffeine than adults or even
twenty-somethings. “Caffeine will last in a teenager’s system for hours
longer,” explains Schuen. So talk to your teenager about the
ramifications of drinking caffeinated beverages, like coffee, soda, and
especially so-called “energy” drinks—Monster, Red Bull, Rockstar—which
can contain high, sometimes dangerous, levels of caffeine.
4. Get back to a school schedule a couple of weeks early (and stick with it)
Especially if your teenager has gotten into the habit of staying up
late and sleeping in over the summer, be proactive about moving
his sleep clock back well before the first day, recommends Dr. Sasha
Carr, a licensed psychologist and sleep expert with Off to Dreamland
Sleep Services. “I recommend getting back into a reasonable schedule
about two weeks before school starts, so it’s not a shock to the
system.” On the weekends during the school year, encourage your teenager
not to
sleep in too long on Saturday and Sunday mornings. That will make Monday tough.
5. No naps
Some sleep-deprived teens are in the habit of staying up late, rising
early for school, and making up their sleep deficit with an afternoon
or early-evening nap. It’s a bad idea. “Napping during the day is not
helpful because it fragments sleep,” Schuen explains. “Instead,
encourage your teenager to stick it out and go to bed earlier.” In other
words, 30 minutes more sleep in the afternoon is not as beneficial as
adding 30 minutes of sleep at night. “Your teenager will be much better
rested if she adds that sleep at the end of the day,” says Schuen.
6. Have a bedtime ritual
You can’t control when you fall asleep, but you can
create an optimal environment for sleep to take place. “Create a ritual that signals to your brain and body that it’s time for sleep,” recommends Carr. Turn all
computers, smart phones and devices
off at least 30 minutes prior to going to bed. Take a warm shower. For
girls, Carr recommends something as simple as a lotion with a particular
scent that she only uses at bedtime as a cue to the brain that it is
time for sleep. For boys, perhaps changing into clothes that he only
wears at bedtime.
7. Beds are only for sleep
Your son or daughter’s bed is not the home office. “There is this
idea of `stimulus control’ which suggests that time spent in bed should
be associated with sleeping, and that any activity in bed other than
sleep is counterproductive to sleep and can actually condition someone
to have problems sleeping,” explains Carr. “You do not want your brain
to associate your bed with work or studying or any other activities that
stimulate rather than calm your brain at night.” Instead, prepare a
pleasant, comfortable separate space that is conducive to studying so
your teenager associates a bed with sleep—and only sleep.
http://yourteenmag.com/physical-health/sleep-deprived-teens?utm_source=Weekly+Emails&utm_campaign=b41cc4e916-Expert_Advice_from_Your_Teen_Media&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_418d895dd9-b41cc4e916-408308113&mc_cid=b41cc4e916&mc_eid=b14e1d3700
