Sleep and Teens
Sleep is not only a biological necessity but also a physiologic drive. In today’s fast-paced world, though, sleep is often the first thing to go. … Adolescence is the time of greatest vulnerability from the standpoint of sleep.
The Tasks of the Middle School Years
- No electronics at least a half hour before bedtime. This includes television, computer, smartphones, mp3 players, tablets, and video games. The light from these screens depresses melatonin production and can delay sleep.
- Keep these electronics out of the bedroom. A half hour before bedtime, you take ownership over the electronics. This ensures that your child is not sneaking screen or networking time when she should be sleeping.
- No caffeinated drinks in the afternoon or evening. Obviously, this includes drinks such as 5-Hour Energy.
- Have a consistent bedtime and evening ritual. This can be tough especially with evening practices/lessons and homework. Even if your pre-bedtime routine is only 20 minutes long (shower, reading, journaling), these external cues can help trigger the relaxation response and make for a smoother transition to sleep.
- No social networking right before bedtime. Besides the electronics issue (see above), there is the friendship drama issue. It is extremely difficult for adolescents to disengage from these ongoing (throughout the night) conversations. This is not relaxing nor healthy “sleep hygiene.”
- Beware of overscheduling. As Madeline Levine states: “A moderate amount of extracurriculars certainly benefits kids. But in order to be able to relax, to put the day on hold, kids need some clear space in their heads and clear time in their days. If the above points on sleep seem daunting to you, the quiet before bedtime, for example, then your child is doing too much. Leave some time every day for reflection and solitude. Your child will sleep better and so will you.”
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