Teens have a lot on their plates; from school, sports, friends, hormones to peer pressure. A study by better health shows that a lot of them are constantly sleep-deprived, which is not good for their physical and psychological state.
Though your teen may appear to be programmed to stay up all night and, in fact, that's partially true, you should work on their sleep schedule to make sure they are resting well.
A good night sleep will help them tackle the trials and tribulations of their day-to-day life. Here's how you can do it -
Why Teens don’t sleep enough
If your teenager wants to remain up late, there could also be a biological reason for it. Children's internal clocks, called circadian rhythms, shift slightly round the time when they are going through puberty. Their brains don't start making melatonin until late in the evening (the natural hormone that regulates our sleep-wake cycle).
Teens have a slower sleep drive than young children, which suggests they stay up longer, even when they're sleep-deprived. It’s difficult for them to fall asleep naturally before 11 at night.
On top of that, teens also use mobile phones more frequently to engage with their peers, playing and studying. Using a mobile phone into the night not only displaces their sleep, but viewing screen-light also suppresses melatonin and provides activities like texting and playing video games that may overstimulate the brain. As such, it’s impossible for them to calm down when they have so much going on right at their fingertips.
Sleep-deprivation in teens leads to increased depression, behavioral problems, low self-esteem and difficulty focusing in class. Whereas, sleep helps with the ability to think critically, and process and store new information,
Helping your teen get a good sleep
Despite the fact that your teen is turning into a grown-up very quickly, you should still monitor their sleep schedule. You can set limits on your teen's activities.
A couple of things you can try are:
1. Collect devices at night.
Take all electronic devices out of the bedroom and keep them in a place children can’t sneak out and access during the night. Kids might not agree saying that they have to speak with their friends, but parents got to set boundaries on their social connections late night and say 'No'. If you set a good example by also doing this with your own phone, your kids may be less likely to complain.
2. Do not alter between their sleep times
If your teens are involved in sports, school, and faculty projects, it can appear to be there aren't enough hours within the day to complete everything. However, staying up late to finish all the things can do more harm than good. Instead, teach your kids time management skills in order that they can get everything done during the day. If they're still over-scheduled, it'd be time to believe dropping an activity or to speak with their teachers about the matter.
3. Prepare for school time in advance
Having enough sleep means teenagers brain cells will be alert during the school day. Sleep helps with the ability to think critically, and process and store new information, so it's important to plan for their enough sleep.
If they need to be up at 5:30 to catch the 6:00 bus, they ought to probably be in bed right at 9:30. That means you need to make sure their homework's done, dinners eaten, and clothes are laid out for the next day at least an hour before that.
4. Avoid Caffeine well before bed time
Soda isn't the sole source of caffeine in teens' diets today. They also drink more energy drinks more often. And parents do not realize what proportion of caffeine is there in sports drinks. Teens should have enough energy to urge through the day without counting on caffeine.
5. Having a right mattress
The right mattress can help teens sleep more easily. A bed that matches a teenager’s needs equates to more comfort, better support for the body, and one less barrier to a healthy sleep routine. A mattress that supports their bodies and relieves growing pains and muscle tension is ideal for their comfortable sleep and happiness.
However figuring out which mattress is the right one can be difficult, especially since many teens may not be excited to spend their free time going mattress shopping with their parents.
Mancini’s Sleepworld makes it easier for you by providing numerous mattress options that are well-built and suitable for teenagers. You also get an option to try out the mattress with a 120-night sleep guarantee. We’ve been helping customers find the right mattress since 1969, and now have 34 locations within the greater Bay Area! To learn more, contact us or call 800-647-5337 today!