Would you just go to sleep!

The house is quiet, the lights are off and you are in bed. You lie, looking at the ceiling and listening to the noises outside. You know that tomorrow you’ve got to be up early and get to school and yet – you just can’t sleep! Your head hit the pillow an hour ago, everyone else is out and yet – you really aren’t tired. You decide to listen to music and surf the web – a parent walks by the door, switches off the lights and says ‘Would you just go to sleep’.

Adolescent sleep is a strange thing. The desire to sleep may not affect older adolescents until much later in the night. Unlike adults, adolescents may actually feel more awake as the day goes on instead of getting increasingly tired. (This strange phenomenon is known as phase delay or phase shift). Yet, the amount of sleep needed by adolescents is greater than just a few years earlier in childhood or a few years later in adulthood. Adolescents need around 9 hours a night. Far from being an act of rebellion, staying up late and sleeping in is part of the biology of adolescents.

Sleep deprivation has been shown to be prevalent in today’s society, particularly among adolescents, and it can have serious affects. It can increase anxiety, decrease performance and negatively affect mood. The dangers of sleep deprivation for adolescents behind the wheel are very real, as this quote from Dr Karl shows.

“On one hand, about 20% of all road deaths are caused by microsleeps, in turn caused by tiredness - but about half of all such fatigue-related road deaths happen to those aged 16-25”
http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2007/05/03/1913123.htm

So how can adolescents best manage their sleep? Simple steps can lead to sleep changes.

• Avoid caffeinated beverages – guarana shots are not your friend if trying to sleep


• Get some exposure to daylight in the morning – preferably without sunglasses


• Get some physical activity every day


• Have a routine bedtime – 10pm is a good compromise


• Turn off technology – iPods, iPads, iPhones, Internet and iTelevison – at least 1 hour before bedtime. iOut of the bedroom is even better


• Fresh air and a cool environment


• Only sleep an extra hour or two of sleep than normal if sleeping in, or you may confuse your body


• Have a dream journal by the bed. If you want to remember something from a dream, write it down and then go back to sleep – it’ll all be there in the morning


• Do not drive when you know you’re tired
  
  The best thing about these tips is that everyone in the family would benefit from the same rules. Bedtime may need to be adjusted as age appropriate, but every tip here can help every member of the family. After all, no one wants a cranky 2 year old behind the wheel of a car, do they?