Our News

Last week in secondary schools, we talked to teenagers about why sleep is important for their brain development.  Many of them admitted that they struggle to get to sleep, so they lie in bed talking to friends on devices, playing computer games or watching TV. Many feel that they find it difficult to relax at night, so they are only getting to sleep around 11pm. Some even stay awake till after midnight when they have to be up at 6.30am for school.

Teenagers have busy lives. They might be preparing for exams, experimenting with independence, determining friendship groups, dealing with negative comments from classmates, trying to make sense of their own hormonal swings and discovering what types of adults they would like to be.

Adolescence is sometimes referred to as the ‘perfect storm’ of problems with sleep. Dr Pelayo, a sleep doctor from Stanford Centre for Sleep Sciences and Medicine in California estimates that 80-90% of teenagers do not get enough sleep. So what is enough and why is it important?

So how much sleep should your teen be getting?

It is widely accepted that teenagers need around nine hours of sleep every night but many have less than seven hours during term time. Having less sleep than required, has been to shown to affect teens physically, emotionally, socially and academically.

There are biological factors to blame for this. A teenager’s internal clock shifts during this period. Their bodies want to stay awake later, but due to early school starts, they lose out on valuable sleep time. Melatonin, the sleep hormone that brings on the feelings of sleepiness is produced later in teens than in young children, but other factors such as screen time is still a major factor in sleep disruption. Research has found that adolescents who go to bed after midnight are 24% more likely to become depressed. Those who sleep less than five hours a night are 71% more likely to become depressed and 48% more likely to think about suicide than whose who get eight hours of sleep a night.

How we can help our teens?

As parents, we understand how important it is for them to get a good night’s sleep but getting them to listen can be harder. Here are some tips that can help steer our children to get a good night’s sleep?

1. Keep a consistent bedtime routine.

A consistent bedtime routine becomes a habit for the brain. Erratic changes in their routine disrupts their natural sleep cycle. 70% of teens will go to bed at a time set by their parents, so be consistent and set a good example.

2. Switch off devices

Although there are biological factors at play, the light from devices suppresses the production of melatonin especially in 9-15 year olds. Encourage your child to put down their devices at least an hour before they go to bed and keep devices out of their bedrooms so that they are not kept awake by the buzzing of incoming messages or the need to check how many likes they have received on their recent Instagram post. Keep temptation away.

3. Research the effects of sleep on the brain

Spend time with your teen researching about the power of sleep on their brain development. Sleep is food for the brain and is vital for our well-being and happiness. Deprivation on teens can cause cognitive, behavioural, social and emotional problems. It can affect academic performance as well as friendships and health.

4. Ensure their room is a sleep haven.

Make sure  that their bedroom is not too hot or too cold and that it’s quiet and dark at night. Ensure that their room is tech free, so no computers, TVs or devices. They may not like this but it is the most effective way to stop technology interfering with their sleep patterns.

5. Encourage relaxing night rituals.

Run them a warm bath and encourage them to do a meditation at night as this will relax their body and their mind.

6. Avoid caffeinated drinks after 4pm.

Avoid stimulants like tea, coffee , hot chocolate and coca cola in the evenings as this can keep them awake as well as induce feelings of anxiety. One study found that consuming caffeine six hours before bedtime reduced total sleep time by one hour.

7. Avoid evening exercise

This is not always an easy task if your teens are in clubs or sports teams but exercise raises core body temperature which can keep teens alert and pumped up which can interfere with their ability to wind down for a good night’s sleep.

8. Encourage your teen to talk about worries

By asking open questions every day, you can encourage your teen to talk about their worries so that they release any tensions or anxieties that might make them toss and turn before they fall asleep. If you get into this habit when your children are young, it will be easier for them to open up to you in their teenage years.

A good sleep routine is vital for the development of the adolescent brain and it’s not always easy for young people to follow on their own. Anything we can do to support our teens in getting a peaceful nights sleep will help strengthen them, both in the short-term and as they grow into adulthood.

If you are concerned about your teen’s mental health, please don’t hesitate to Contact Us here or email info@universalmindfulness.co.uk for an informal chat. We offer 1-1 coaching to support their emotional wellbeing.