A good night’s sleep does wonders for family wellness, especially if the person getting that sleep is your teenager! According to experts, teenagers need to get an average of nine hours sleep every night, but they rarely do so. The line between simple tiredness and sleep deprivation can be confusing, but you need to watch out for it in order to take care of your teenager’s wellbeing.
Firstly, pay attention to the warning signs of sleep deprivation. Is your teen often sleepy, inattentive or late during the day? Are there signs of impulse control wellness problems like irritability, hyperactivity, depression, impatience, mood swings, low self-confidence or low tolerance for frustration? Does he have difficulty getting up in the morning or take naps in the day? These are all signs of sleep deprivation to watch out for at home, but remember there are some that you need to find out about when your teenager leaves the house such as drowsy driving and falling grades.
So why is it so important that teens get enough sleep? Being sleep deprived can impair your teen’s memory and creativity, which in turn makes learning difficult. Their metabolism, immune system and cardiovascular system can also be affected, as well as their emotional wellness since sleep deprivation can cause depression and difficulty coping with stress and emotions. Your teenager might not be aware of the damage that sleeplessness is causing to her body, and so doesn’t do anything to amend her sleeping patterns.
Your teen’s lifestyle may be to blame, thanks to time pressures from school, socialising and after-school jobs, as well as hours of late-night texting, downloading music and watching videos online whilst drinking caffeinated beverages. In 10-15% of adolescents, this may be due to a delayed ‘inner clock’ which means that your teenager simply doesn’t feel sleepy until 1 or 2 a.m. so their bodies want to get up at 9 or 10 a.m., rather than 6 or 7 a.m.
Therefore, help your teenager by looking at his or her school, after-school and work schedules and cutting down on non-essential activities. Keep consistent sleep and wake-up times, even on weekends, and avoid high-energy activities within three hours of bedtime. Don’t let them be mentally stimulated either, and remove TV sets, computers, mobile phones and video games from the bedroom, and eliminate or reduce caffeine consumption. Finally, check that your teenager’s bedroom is capable of providing a good night’s sleep, and hang heavier curtains and adjust the temperature if necessary. If your teenager’s sleep deprivation persists for a few months, contact your doctor about a sleep evaluation.